The Shadow Stalker
by Cannonade
Summary: Two months after the Saviour incident and Dante is missing a certain someone. Once reunited with Nero, he rescues the kid from a boring life... but it appears said kid has a mysterious stalker. Dante x Nero, yaoi
1. His Biggest Regret

_Hello, back again with another Dante/Nero fic, I hope you enjoy the start and I'll try to update regularly, though PS3 addictions make it difficult!_

_**Disclaimer:** I do not own Devil May Cry, but if I did, Nero could not in anyway shape or form be Vergil's son and he'd be in a hot relationship with Dante._

_Rated M for a bit of gore and plenty of yaoi._

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**The Shadow Stalker**

**Chapter 1 – His Biggest Regret**

A heavy rain storm was hammering against the large windows of the Devil May Cry office, the strong wind rattling the glass panes in their frames. Business had been slow of late since this heavy deluge began two days ago; already several streets further out of the sleazy town had been flooded by the endless downpour. It was not surprising that even devils hid away from this weather, preferring to hide in unused, dilapidated buildings rather than cause trouble of the city's human population. However with the lack of business came seemingly endless boredom and Dante was beginning to drown in his frustrations.

The red leather clad demon slayer sat at his old oak desk, leant back in his chair with his feet propped up on the wooden surface and a magazine over his face. It wasn't the frustration of having nothing to do that was getting to him, it was the feeling of regret that was working its way into the depths of his heart. It had been two months since he came back from Fortuna with adrenalin rushing through his veins from the aftermath of an exciting mission. At times like that, there was nothing that could compare to the thrill of fighting the minions of the demon world; not only was it a huge boost for his spirits, it was something to stroke his ego with. But the more time he had to dwell on things, the more he realised that the thrill of the mission on that religious island did not come from slaying demons and defeating the power obsessed Order.

For weeks now, his thoughts had been plagued with a certain white haired man with ice blue eyes to match his and a cocky, punk ass attitude. There was no choice now for Dante to admit that fighting that kid had been more thrilling than battling the Saviour. Hell, for a moment or two, he'd even given the more experienced hunter a run for his money and that was saying something. Though it had been momentarily troubling that the teen had been so fixated with obtaining Yamato, he still managed to put on a cute face while doing so. The only turn off had been the girl he had wanted to save so badly; it would be just Dante's luck if a kid as cute as Nero was straight. _Nero_. There was no way of kicking that name out of his thoughts right now, especially as he uttered it in every dream he had.

The half devil groaned beneath the pages of his magazine as he recalled the dream he had been having through his last nap. The cute, cocksure Nero had arrived at his doorstep, his face wet from rain and tears and his blue eyes huge with loneliness. Dante had welcomed him into his home with open arms and before long, he had tossed his willing uke onto his king sized bed. Unfortunately, before he'd had the opportunity to jump on him and tear off his clothes, a large gust of wind blowing the doors open had interrupted him. He groaned again, closing his eyes and trying desperately to go to sleep and have another encounter with his dream Nero, but he simply wasn't tired. _You're going out tonight with no arguments,_ his devil side told him.

Dante sighed, knowing that it was probably a good idea before he was driven insane from either the boredom or the sexual frustration. He would visit Love Planet for a few drinks and see which of the male escorts from the agency were hanging around. After all the only reason he hadn't been to see them was because he felt embarrassed at the prospect of moaning Nero's name. Suddenly, his thoughts were interrupted by the office doors being flung wide open and the sound of heals walking across his wooden floor.

"Listen we're closed," Dante grumbled under his magazine. "Can't you see the weather?"

"Is that anyway to speak to a business partner, Dante?"

He growled. "What do you want, Trish?" _Business partner my ass_.

"Just checking to see if you're still in the land of the living."

"Well, I'm here okay. I don't want to talk to you."

"Oh, so you're happy to read this trash all day then?"

"Wha..."

He was cut off as the blonde removed the magazine from his face, his eyes squinting against the sudden brightness. He blinked a few times and stared at the leather clad demon, watching as she wrinkled her nose in distaste at the content of the trashy magazine.

"Honestly Dante," she shook her head and threw it on the desk. "You're _gay_!"

"We've been through this Trish," Dante grumbled. "I've told you plenty of times that most of the customers who walk through that door would head right back out again if they knew I was gay. That's the way this city is; hell I have to go to a strip club and stare at half naked chicks just to find a guy to bring home, so where's the harm?"

"Okay, okay! I rest my case."

"So what are you doing here?"

"I'm here to bring you some news you might find interesting."

"What could possibly interest me at this moment in time?"

"If you're reduced to staring at this," she indicated to the magazine. "Then anything!"

He grunted and put his feet down. "Spill it then."

"I bring news from the city of Fortuna, do you remember that place?"

"Oh?" Dante felt fidgety, but he would never reveal that to Trish. "And why do you think that would interest me? I've been there, done that and finished with that religious place."

"I just thought you'd like to know that the city hasn't been recovering well. Fortuna was all but destroyed after the incident with the Saviour, as you well know and since then, it's being swamped by demons again. They can smell weakness and right now, that place is full of the weak and innocent."

"Is there a point with this story?"

The blonde smirked. "Not really, but apparently the problem is being dealt with quite nicely. I heard it from Lady, seeing as she's taking a mission close to the ferry port right now and it seems that a lone hunter is keeping the demons at bay. Even though it seems the locals don't think too highly of him, he continues to work selflessly towards ridding the city of all devils."

_Heh, sounds like the kid alright_. "Nice to know _someone's_ having a good time."

"Maybe you should go and pay a visit, you know, just to follow up your good work."

"Why would I want to do that?"

Trish rolled her eyes skyward. "I've had to cope with your moping for a while since this downturn in business and I can tell when you're bored and when you're not. I know you'll never admit it, but I think you regret leaving something behind in Fortuna... or _someone_."

Dante glared at her. "It was my choice to leave Yamato with..."

"Oh stop it Dante, you know exactly what I mean. Go and pay Nero a visit, it is possible that, for some ungodly reason, he might want to see you again."

Dante swallowed as he recalled what the kid said to him before he left. _Hey Dante, will we meet again?_ Was that the moment he regretted leaving that place? Did he regret not giving him a proper answer, other than a salute? Had he been too cautious in stopping himself from coming on to him too strongly and scaring him off? He leaned his elbows on the desk and rested his chin on the palms of his hands, sighing deeply.

"You really do regret it, don't you?" Trish queried with a smirk.

"Such a cute guy..." Dante mumbled, sombrely. "I probably missed my chance."

She laughed in an almost mocking way. "And I always thought you said there wasn't a man on Earth who would refuse you?"

He sighed. "Nero's... different..."

"Oh? It never used to bother you before if the man in your sights was straight."

"Yeah, but he..."

He trailed off again, remembering the endearing expression the kid had in his eyes whenever he looked upon that redheaded girl. He frowned a little, a part of him almost longing to see that expression turned in his favour. He rarely thought about chance encounters like this for more than a few days, especially if nothing happened between them. So why was his head constantly filled with images of the white haired beauty?

Trish closed her eyes and smiled. "If you're worried about that girl, you should ask him."

Dante growled. "I'm _not_ going all the way up to Fortuna just to ask that!"

"You know, sometimes I think it's a curse that I look like your mother; I end up trying to act more and more like one to you! But really Dante, I wish you would take people's advice to heart sometimes. I do try to help you."

Dante smirked. "I'd go to Fortuna if you gave me pocket money."

She glared at him, forcing a chuckle from the white haired male. Still smirking, he got to his feet, the sound of the chair's legs scraping across the wooden floor filling the office. He turned his head to look out of the large windows, seeing that the rain seemed much lighter now under the orange glow of the streetlamps.

"I'm off out," he stated. "Just taking advice from someone close to home."

He tapped the side of his head as he walked over to the coat stand, collecting his red leather trench coat and shrugging it on over his broad shoulders. Trish raised an eyebrow and rested one hand on her hip as he wandered passed her, a hand in the pocket of his tight leather trousers. He didn't say anything to her as he opened the door, but she stopped him just before he left.

"Will you admit it?" she asked him. "That you like that guy?"

Dante looked over his shoulder and smirked. "Let's just say he's exactly my type."

On that note, he left the shop and realised quite quickly that the rain was still deceptively heavy. Actually, in comparison to the number of days he'd spent in the office, the rain and fresh air was exceedingly refreshing. He let the rain run down his face, the slightly acidic water cooling down his warm skin and soaking into his soft hair. He always knew when he felt the weather conditions so acutely like this that he'd been indoors for far too long. Enjoying the invigorating feel the rain, Dante strolled leisurely down the street until he saw the bright neon signs for Love Planet.

The instant he crossed the threshold and went inside, he was engulfed by the usual heat and oppressive smell of the place. As usual, it was full of men surrounding the stages where half naked women were dancing around poles, no doubt trying to hook one for a date. Though Dante was comfortable with looking at, or even flirting with women, he would never go any further than that; he didn't swing that way. In these cases, there were times when humans smelt worse than demons, though he figured it might not have been so bad if he was one of the men drooling over the stages. But that was something he would _never_ regret, no matter how much he wished he'd dragged Nero back to Devil May Cry kicking and screaming. Smirking to himself as he imagined such a scenario, which ended with the pair of them in bed together, Dante sauntered over to the bar and sat down on one of the high stools.

"Now where have you been, Dante?" asked the barwoman as she leaned against the counter top, her loosely buttoned shirt hanging much lower than necessary.

"Just at home babe," he said with a shrug. "To put it simply, rain sucks."

"Tell me about it! The usual?"

"Nah, give me some whisky and straight."

She smirked and winked suggestively. "Out for a fun night, are we?"

Dante chuckled. "You bet... so... seen anyone?" It was handy having someone in the establishment who knew the men with opposite preferences.

She stood back from the bar briefly and glanced around the dimly lit club before turning her gaze back to the half demon. "I've seen a few of the guys around, though not as many as normal. You looking for anyone in particular?"

"Nope, not especially."

"Well, needless to say they missed you for these past few days. And the girls too."

"Heh, you know I don't really go down that route."

"Just don't say that too loudly; last time you sent three people to hospital."

"That's what they get for being intolerant. Damn homophobic bastards."

The barwoman smiled and shook her head. "I'll get your drink."

Dante sighed lightly and folded his arms across the counter, his ears filling with the low, thumping bass of the dance music. He looked around to try and spot a few of his regulars, but all he could see over the flashing lights were groups of men and women flocking around the stages where the strippers were dancing. He heard the dull clinking sound of his glass being set on the table top and he immediately reached for it to take a swig, the taste washing away the leftovers of cheap coffee. There were times in his life when he'd spent long nights out in this place, chatting and flirting to whoever approached him until he woke up the next day with a slight hangover and a naked man in his bed. But within the last two months, those thoughts were no longer so appealing. _I'm seriously starting to think too much_.

"Now here's a face I haven't seen in weeks!" a smooth, deep voice cut through his chain of thought.

Dante turned his head to observe the owner of that voice, seeing a face he recognised well from his outings in the past. He was quite a small man; barely over five and a half feet tall with a slim frame, but his features were so well formed and beautiful no one would notice or even care. His face was somewhat more masculine than the rest of his body, his thin, shoulder length black hair framing his face nicely, especially where it partly fell over his left eye. The white haired devil smirked, shifting on his barstool slightly as he offered the man a seat next to him.

"Vince, it's been a while," he noted.

"What brings you back here?" the other male queried, his tone now light and airy.

Dante watched keenly as his guest removed one hand from his glass of gin and gently ran his long, thin fingers through his hair. His dark brown eyes gazed into his own, the look strangely both friendly and suggestive at the same time. The flashing lights shined off the metal of the numerous piercings on his right ear and a light smirk pulled at the corner of his lips. Never once did Dante doubt the reasons for this man being the number one of the male escort service. He knew what he was doing and was stunningly beautiful to match.

"Nothing in particular," Dante shrugged before taking another swig of his whisky.

"Oh, you don't lie very well Dante," Vince purred.

He chuckled. "Why did _you_ have to be here of all days?"

"If there's something on your mind, maybe this meeting was fortunate."

"How the hell do you read someone so easily?"

"I'm always well sought in this place, I have lots of practice."

Dante laughed, resting a hand on his hip. "You always have that trouble, don't you? So many of your clients always become completely infatuated with you!"

"That's why men like you are easier to deal with; you're not easily infatuated."

"Hmm, I wouldn't exactly say that right now," Dante said with a smirk.

"Ah, then there is something on your mind..." Vince took another sip of his gin. "Or someone."

"So perceptive, as always."

Dante swigged back the rest of his drink and set the glass down on the counter, asking the barwoman for another. He had always figured this man knew him too well, even though he hadn't shared much personal information with him. If he did not look and smell one hundred percent human, he would have sworn the guy was a demon.

"Then perhaps you came here more for talk than for sex, hmm?" queried the smaller man as he trailed the tip of his index finger around the edge of his glass. "Everyone has something they don't feel comfortable telling someone they know; this is where people like me can be useful. We gain nothing from learning people's secrets."

"I don't envy you in that situation," Dante replied as he picked up his new drink.

"Maybe not but on some nights, it really is a blessing if they just want to talk."

The half devil smirked as Vince rested a hand on his shoulder. "Rough night?"

"No, not tonight. _Everyone_ just seems to want to talk right now."

"Oh, so you want it, eh?"

"Yes, I'd certainly say that..." he trailed off as he ran his slender fingers through Dante's white hair, playing with the ends slightly. He smiled absently and ran his hand down to stroke the other man's stubbly face before resting it on his shoulder again. "But not from you."

Dante sighed. "I guess I can't argue with you if you've set your mind on that."

"I'm not just saying that as an escort, but as a friend."

"You can be really manipulative, you know that?"

"Of course, it's part of my job..." he took another sip of the clear alcohol, his dark eyes never leaving the blues of the other man. "I've seen a lot of things in your eyes, Dante. Loneliness, boredom, frustration and not to forget lust. But this is something I've never seen before."

He allowed the tips of his fingers to ghost across Dante's neck. "Regret. Not just any regret, but something important. This is something you deeply regret from the bottom of your heart, not something just scratching the surface."

Dante shook his head and grinned. "I don't even have to admit anything to you!"

"This man... are you in love with him?"

"That depends if lusting after him passes as love."

"That's a good start, and all love takes is a start."

He sighed, setting down his glass. "When I first met this guy, he tried to kill me. As you'd expect with me, that was far from a turn off and the more I saw of the kid, the more I began to think about him. At first I thought it was because I'd never met anyone like him, but when I left him, I don't think I realised exactly what I was leaving behind. Just thinking about him drives me crazy! Recently, It's not just in my dreams, it's all through the damn day; I can't take my mind off him! But the real thing that gets to me is the fact that there seems to be a girl involved and that makes me jealous. Imagine that! _Jealous_; me?"

Vince looked thoughtful. "For you, that's pretty deep."

"Hey, I'm speaking my mind to you right now!"

"I know, but it's just the truth. You don't usually speak about other men in that way."

Dante heard a faint undertone of disappointment in the other man's voice. "I don't mean..."

"Oh that's not offensive to me, you know that," Vince said with a chuckle. "All I'm saying is that you're speaking about this man as if he completely confuses you. If you think about him in such a way, you really need to think it over and confront him to understand your feelings."

"What, you think I should confess to him?"

"No because I can tell you don't understand your feelings for him yet."

"Heh, you're telling me?"

"I hoped I would see this someday," Vince smiled warmly and once again ran his fingers through Dante's white locks. "No matter how attached I become to a particular client, I always feel a sense of joy when they find someone special to them. Though you may not know it yet, I think you found that person."

"Aw, does that mean you're attached to me?"

"I've always been attached to you, Dante. No matter what mood you're in, you've always been considerate of what I want and you've never forced yourself on me. Without a doubt, you are the friendliest and most considerate man I've met during my work, even if you are hard work when it comes to satisfying you."

Dante grinned. "Well, what can I say? Sometimes, I'm a needy guy."

"You don't say."

"So, will ya miss me while I'm gone?"

Vince closed his eyes and smiled. "I'll be lying if I said no."

"If I find out Nero's straight, I'll be hunting you down to blame you!"

A faint blush appeared to the other's cheeks. "Don't make such promises, Dante."

The demon hunter smirked. "It's just in my nature."

"On that note, I think my work here is done. I wish you well for the future."

"Heh, I think you're more optimistic than me!"

Vince looked away slightly as he got to his feet. "I'm not quite sure of that."

"Oh?" Dante looked confused. "I don't _feel_ all that optimistic."

"Maybe not, but assuming you are the same man I know, you'll be able to get what you want," he smiled again, turning to face his companion and stroking his white hair again. "Just don't screw up, or else you'll have deeper regrets than you do already."

"Well, I guess I've really set my sights on the kid."

"Yeah, it looks as though as you have..."

Dante smirked. "Though you have people setting their sights on you all the time!"

The other man sighed a little. "Just never the ones I want," he murmured.

"Hmm?"

Vince smiled again, but it seemed a little forced. "Don't worry about me, you worry about yourself! All I can really do now is wish you luck."

"Thanks Vince."

"Anytime..." he trailed off with a slightly vacant look on his face. "Goodbye Dante."

"Nah, I'm sure I'll drop by and see you again when I'm back."

"Remember what I said about promises."

On that note, Vince removed his fingers from Dante's silvery hair and disappeared into the crowd of people. Leaning back against the counter, Dante kept his eyes on him until he was out of sight, taking a last swig of his whiskey. Although the night hadn't turned out the way he'd imagined it, at least he had been able to straighten a few things out in his mind. Sighing a little, he got to his feet and left the bar, his sights set on having a decent night's sleep before setting out for Fortuna the following morning. Maybe it didn't hurt to take advice from time to time.

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_I hope your enjoyed it, and I hope not one minds my male escort too much. Chapter 2 is on the way..._


	2. Going Nowhere

_A/N: Sorry this update is a little late, I've been, err, distracted *points at the playstation*. Next update might be a bit late too, I'll have hospital visits to make._

_**furesesse1: **Thanks for reviewing! Yeah, Vince will be making an appearance later on (not a major character though) and he certainly had a thing for Dante. But of course, only Nero can have Dante!_

_**littleliesdonthurt: **Thanks for reviewing! Did you mean Vincent from the DMC anime, the biker guy? If so, sorry for the confusion, Vince is just an OC. I'd forgotten about that guy too! XD_

_**BattleGoddess126:** Thanks for the review and thanks for liking it when I put up a new fic, that makes me so happy! Yeah I know, poor Vince, life must kind of suck for an OC at times! XD_

_**Ellocin: **Thank you for reviewing, glad you thought the opening was good!_

_**SirenaLoreley: **Thanks for the review; I was almost tempted to have Vince try and make Dante forget about Nero, but I didn't want to make it Dante x OC (though that would be fun, because I bet it would be a first male OC pairing!) Nero really is the only one for Dante._

_**TheRealAkuRoku: **Thank you for reviewing, glad you like it so far! ^_^_

_**Zack Hewley: **Thanks for the review, it's always good when people think everyone's in character and things seem canon. Glad you liked the beginning!_

_**Violetspain: **Thanks for reviewing. Yeah, Dante's is a bit clueless when people fancy him, but Vince is only an OC! XD_

_**Bitbyboth: **Thank you for the review! I'm glad Vince went down okay, I do like to use minor OCs from time to time if they work. Glad you like it so far!_

_Note is long... I just prefer to reply to reviews this way: thanks to bitbyboth for this idea, hope you don't mind me using it! Now for chapter two._

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**Chapter 2 – Going Nowhere**

Nero couldn't believe that it had been two whole months since the incident with the Saviour and the city of Fortuna had been decimated to ruin. Without a doubt, they had been the slowest two months of his life. If it hadn't been for the demons that still wanted to pick a fight with the weak locals, time would have come to a complete stop. Ever since he had been in his early teens, he had begun to realise that the religious city held no interest for him whatsoever. It was during his eighteenth year that he had lost interest in the place entirely, having to put up with endlessly long, boring church services. There had only been one time when the place had livened up, and that had been down to the arrival of a certain white haired man with a striking red leather coat.

Nero sighed deeply, leaning back against the old brick wall of his flat and absently spinning his revolver around his finger. Dante was all he had been able to think about for the past two months, another thing that allowed him to pass the time. Whether it was indoors or out, during times when there were no demons to kill, nothing felt better than to find a quiet spot to daydream about the leather clad half demon. A slight smirk pulled at the corner of his lips as he slid down the wall to sit on the floor, resting Red Queen on the floor beside him. He relaxed his head back and closed his eyes, the first thing swimming into view being Dante's handsome, manly face wearing his trademark smirk. Nero slowly added the rest of his body; broad shoulders and chest clad in tight black leather and his long leather coat hanging down almost to the floor. The kid was practically drooling as he imagined that body without clothes, his firm flesh stretched over taught muscle and a suggestive 'come-and-get-it' look on his face.

_Nero..._

Oh, if only Dante would say his name instead of the annoying 'kid' that seemed to become his nickname. Nero's face reddened as he imagined the feeling of strong, warm arms holding him close to that broad chest...

"Nero!"

_Huh? A woman's voice, that's a turn off... oh crap!_ Nero's eyes snapped open as he realised he'd dozed off when he was supposed to be starting his afternoon patrol of the city. His eyes struggled to focus for a few moments, the first thing coming into view being a figure clad in a long, white dress. The kid groaned; this was one of the sources of his many problems. He looked upwards, his ice blue orbs gazing up at the face of a red headed woman who, on the surface, appeared calm and collected but deep down, was very afraid.

Nero sighed. "I know Kyrie, I know. I was just getting round to it!"

"The Order think you're slacking off too much," she told him.

_Did her voice really used to irritate me _this_ much_? "Hey, I'm only a little late!"

"Then why is it whenever I see you you're always daydreaming?"

"Maybe because there's nothing better to do around here when there aren't any demons to pick a fight with."

"What's wrong with you, Nero? You've been like this ever since... you know..."

The kid groaned and slowly got to his feet. "Look, why do you always have to act as if the event was something unspeakable? Why can't you just tell me that I've been acting differently since the Saviour incident?"

"Because the Order was something holy to us, and..."

"And if it weren't for Dante, they would never have been exposed for what they really were! They were all obsessed with demonic power Kyrie, you know that, _you where there_! I just wish you'd face the facts and realise all of them were worse than the things I still fight today."

Kyrie stepped back timidly. "What's happened to you, Nero?"

"Maybe I should be asking _you_ that. Come on Kyrie, why are you afraid of me?" he said as he took a step toward her, she taking a further two away from him. "Look at you. Whenever I come near you or even look at you, all I see in your eyes is fear. That's all I ever see; not just in you but in everyone! All I've ever done is protect people and you wonder why I hate it here?"

He laughed, slipping Blue Rose back into her holster and hoisting Red Queen onto his back. He walked past the small and frightened form of Kyrie; the girl he once adored as a sister who was now so afraid of him she refused to share her house with him.

"Nero..." she began, but he cut her off.

"Forget it Kyrie," he snapped. "I've got to go on patrol."

He left her standing there, still managing to feel a little guilty about raising his voice whilst speaking to her. After Dante had left, things had felt so much better; Kyrie even almost seemed accepting of his demonic arm and those left in the Order had actually thanked him. But the city was still taking a long time to rebuild and most of the buildings still lay in ruins, including the old Opera House. Demons still continued to plague the streets, attracted by the aftermath of the destruction and the weakness of the residents, so nerves were on edge all the time. People started rumours that the demons were drawn here by Nero's cursed arm and they would continue to be plagued until he was exiled. Now, even the Order were being taken in by the rumours and it often seemed like Kyrie believe them too. It wasn't helped by the fact that he knew Kyrie still blamed him for Credo's death; she never voiced it, but it was obvious when she talked about it on rare occasions.

Nero glanced down at his right arm which was hidden by the sling he wore, a faint blue glow just about visible. For a week or two after the disaster, he had been able to walk around without the sling, but now, he needed it to avoid the accusing glares of the locals. Why it made a difference he would never know, because they all knew what his arm looked like. It had caused him so much trouble, but when it came to fighting demons, it was as valuable to him as his trusty sword and revolver. He knew that he had become stronger since past events and as he grew stronger, so did his Devil Bringer; it was a part of him, so why let it become a hindrance? He had hated the thing in the past because of all the bad luck it brought him, but meeting Dante had changed all that. Despite wanting to kill the bastard the first time they met, he began to realise that he wasn't afraid of him. He hadn't even glanced twice at his arm, as though it were something he actually expected him to have. For once in his life, Nero had felt that someone in this world accepted him and the feeling was wonderful.

Smiling as he recalled his last conversation with the older half devil, Nero rushed off towards the centre of the town to begin his patrol. Dante hadn't said anything to him when he asked if they'd meet again, but something kept telling him that wouldn't be their last meeting. For one thing, the other man had given him the most important thing he had; Yamato. _That's the only kind of gift worth giving_, was what he had said to him. At the time, Nero only felt immense flattery and a slight twinge of confusion but now, it warmed his heart in a very different way. He could still never pinpoint the exact moment when his thoughts led him to fall in love with Dante, but it was probably close to the time when he'd hold the katana close for comfort. Or around the time when he started having exceedingly embarrassing dreams...

He shook his head before he allowed his thoughts to travel into territory he forbade himself from entering in public places. Such fantasies were ideal for the lonely nights in his flat, but certainly not for the city streets which were either filled with people or demons. He continued on ahead, glancing occasionally at the people he walked by and seeing them noticeably jump out of his way. It wasn't the same way they avoided other members of the Order; they didn't do it because he was doing an important job and they didn't want to get in the way, they did it because they were afraid. Everyone here was afraid of him and having to live with that fear and the hatred that went with it made each day crawl along at an agonisingly slow pace. More than anything he wanted to leave, but he just couldn't ignore the demons that sometimes came back in swarms to attack the civilians. He still felt obligated to help, whether it was wanted or not.

However, a familiar smell soon brought him out of his brooding. Smirking with an air of satisfaction, Nero removed his sling, took Blue Rose from her holster and spun round on his heal, pointing the twin barrels at the face of the black, doglike demon. The Basilisk crouched low on the ground, baring its teeth and growling at him as fire burst out from around its neck. Ready for the now familiar attack, Nero fired twin bullets as the demon's head flew towards him, destroying it with one shot. Quickly, he holstered his signature revolver and took Red Queen off his back, watching as the Basilisk's head reformed from its neck.

"Come on then," Nero taunted, slapping his knee with his bringer. "I'm right here!"

The Basilisk charged forwards with a howl, the young devil hunter watching it as it quickly closed the distance between them. As it leapt into the air in an attempt to bring him down, Nero struck out with his Devil Bringer, grasped it by the head and slammed it hard into the ground. He swiped down at it with Red Queen slicing it in half easily once it had been weakened by his devil arm's attack. He withdrew the blade as the Basilisk's body disintegrated, the new scent around him bringing another satisfied smirk to his young face. He looked up, resting the blunt edge of his blade against one shoulder as he looked at the group of six Basilisks surrounding him.

"Six against one, huh?" he observed. "I wouldn't exactly call that fair."

The six demons growled dangerously at him, their claws carving grooves into the concrete paving slabs. Nero began to feel the adrenalin pumping through his body as he lowered his blade from his shoulder and revved the handle to activate the Exceed System.

"But this is just how I like it!" he said with a grin.

The closest two on either side ran around him, trying to flank him but he knew this move all too well after learning from the first time he saw them. He ignored them in favour for the one who stood slightly behind the three lined up in front of him and the two flanking either side. Unless they had changed the tactics they'd used for the past two months, the weakest in appearance was actually the strongest. He ducked low to the ground as the flanker to his left leapt at him, rolling forwards and sitting up on his knees, slicing the catapulted head in two with Red Queen. The two Basilisks guarding the middle moved forwards to protect the third while it regenerated its head, Nero taking this opportunity to attack the pack leader.

He shot out his Devil Bringer and pinned the middle demon to the ground, using the forward moment he gained to propel himself over the front line. The pack leader recoiled slightly, moving out of the young hunter's path as he landed on the ground where it once stood. _Well, I guess they do learn from time to time_. Though the move had somewhat surprised Nero, he liked to think he was ready for anything; how could he catch up to Dante if he wasn't? He quickly switched weapons and twisted round in his crouched position, aiming the twin barrel of Blue Rose at the lead Basilisk. He fired a shot, the bullets cracking through its armoured flesh and stopping its motion towards him. The young hunter was quick to switch weapons again, bringing Red Queen down upon his foe and slicing off its head.

"One down..." Nero murmured with a small chuckle.

There was nothing quite like the adrenalin rush he experienced during a good demon fight. Grinning, perhaps with early triumph, he grasped the fallen demon by its front legs with his Devil Bringer, swung the body round in circles above his head and hurled it at two of the other Basilisks. The heavy body caused the two to topple backwards, the remaining three leaping over them to rush Nero head on. He used his superior agility to sidestep the first two, using the Exceed System to coat Red Queen in the accelerant and slicing the heated blade through the third. _Two Down_.

Whilst dealing with the previous, the other two Basilisks had moved round to flank him and Nero cast a quick glance at those in front, who were still pinned by the body of their leader. Both mobile demons charged towards him and leapt at him in unison, moving in on either side. Quickly, he ducked low and rolled to his left, the pair of Basilisks crashing into each other mid air. Laughing at how stupid devils could be at times, Nero clenched the fist of his Devil Bringer, the glowing ghostly form of it surrounding his curled talons. He punched at the air, the larger form extending and dealing a critical blow to the Basilisks, their bodies being crushed into the ground.

"Now just you two..."

However, when the kid turned to find the remaining pair, he only saw one of them. Forgetting to use his enhanced sense of smell to sniff out the missing demon, Nero concentrated on hunting down the one he could see. Suddenly, the second Basilisk jumped out from behind him, catching him by surprise. He gasped, but fumbled trying to switch to Blue Rose, his sword clattering to the ground.

"Oh shit!" he exclaimed.

He had no time left to attempt to use his Bringer, so all he could do was brace himself and hope nothing got broken. However, before he could think any further, he heard the sound of rapid gunfire and the Basilisk was knocked out of its path, crashing to the ground in defeat.

"What the... hell..." Nero muttered, looking around frantically.

"That was kind of weak, kid," spoke a familiar voice. "Really weak."

Nero's heart suddenly began to race as he followed the sound of the voice and settled his eyes on the man who spoke. His silvery hair and long red coat blew back in the breeze, only adding to his powerful presence on top of the brick wall. He held a black gun in one hand and the hilt of a long broadsword in the other, the flat edge of the blade resting across his shoulders.

"D-Dante..." Nero murmured, feeling a blush threatening to rise to his cheeks.

Smirking, the elder slayer jumped down from the wall and landed gracefully on the ground, tilting his head back slightly to flick some of the hair away from his eyes. He ignored Nero for the moment, his icy blue orbs locked on the soul remaining Basilisk, which was growling threateningly. Dante chuckled, raising Ebony to aim at the demon so he could stare down its barrel.

"Time to play with the big boy," he taunted.

Nero felt somewhat resentful at that statement, but he chose to set it aside as he watched the Basilisk charge towards the red clad devil hunter. Without even using the weapon he taunted the demon with, Dante sidestepped away from it and thrust Rebellion into its side, a sickening crack echoing about the street as its armour and skeleton were pierced. He withdrew his weapon quickly and positioned it back onto his back, holstering Ebony as he watched the Basilisk's body crumble and melt into the ground.

"Tch," Nero muttered. "Show off."

"What was that kid?" asked the elder, mockingly.

"What are _you_ doing here? I was doing fine by myself."

Nero didn't quite feel like letting the other man known just how happy he was to see him here, so he decided to act sulky instead. Dante watched as he got to his feet and picked up Red Queen, dusting down the blade as if to apologise to it. The kid gave him a sharp look, but he could still make out the slight pouting lip behind the glare; _such a cute kid_.

"I dunno..." Dante mused with a shrug. "Guess I was bored."

"Whatever, surely you have plenty of stuff to do," Nero retorted, still sulking.

"Alright, so it's raining back home and the demons don't want to come out and play, so I thought I'd come hunting in your neck of the woods."

The younger snorted. "That desperate eh, _old man_?"

Dante frowned at that. "That nickname better not stick, kid."

"You think?" Nero smirked. "It will if you keep calling me 'kid'."

The older man walked over to him, sharing the smirk. "Okay, then I guess fair is fair."

He reached out with a gloved hand and ruffled the teen's silver hair, chuckling as the other man growled with disapproval. He walked away from him and approached a wooden bench, setting Rebellion down next to it before sitting down and resting his arms along the back.

"So, how've you been?" Dante queried. "Trish tells me you have it tough."

"Oh?" Nero stabbed Red Queen into the ground and leaned against the hilt. "You worried about me or something?"

"If you fight like that all the time, yeah I think I might be."

The teen blushed. "Shut up, that was just once okay."

"True..." Dante shifted to cross his legs, his smirk still present. "I was watching that fight from the very beginning and I have to say, I think you've improved a little since I last saw ya. You seem to have developed some pretty fancy moves there."

"Yeah, well..." Nero rubbed his nose. "I try, you know."

"But you've still got a long way to go until you have any chance of beating me."

"Hey, I think I did pretty well the first time we met."

"Nah, I took it easy on ya. If I didn't, we wouldn't be here having this conversation."

Nero huffed and folded both arms over the top of Red Queen's hilt, his lower lip protruding in a cute way. Dante smiled slyly and leaned forwards on the bench, resting one elbow on his knee and holding his chin up in his hand.

"You should respect your elders, kid," he added, teasingly.

"Quit teasing me, old man," Nero replied, but the humour was evident in his voice.

Dante chuckled. "If I didn't know better, I'd say that you missed me."

"Heh, don't flatter yourself. Who'd miss an arrogant ass like you?"

His smile curled into a smirk. "Apparently cocky young punks like you."

Nero's face flushed pink. "Yeah well, you have no idea how boring this place is. There really is nothing to do here when the demons decide to take a break. I have no intentions of rubbing your ego, but you certainly livened things up a bit."

_Does the kid realise he's subconsciously flirting with me?_ "Well, that's just me; I tend to have that kind of effect wherever I go."

Nero stuck his tongue out. "You really are an egotistical bastard, aren't you?"

"Alright, you wanna go then?"

"Heh, you're on!"

Nero grasped the hilt of Red Queen and pulled the tip of the blade out of the ground, the adrenalin coming to him quick and fast. The thought of fighting Dante again gave him a much bigger thrill than the demons he fought on patrol, the sensation adding further realisation to the fact he did not belong in Fortuna. The religious city was killing him and meeting the man in red again made him wish he could be somewhere else. He could always hope that Dante would offer him a chance to go with him, but he imagined he would just get in the way. The elder probably had his own friends, his own life and probably even a girlfriend, he was hot enough. That thought made Nero's heart sink; there was no way he could be with Dante, not in a million years. Sexy guys like him were definitely straight arrows, it was just the way of things.

However, if any of Nero's sudden feelings of disappointment showed on his face, the other man didn't see it because he had suddenly been distracted. Dante had risen to his feet and had Rebellion in hand, but he was no longer looking at Nero or showing any interest in sparring. His eyes were staring straight at the old Opera House, which was still half covered in scaffolding and looking in bad shape. Perhaps he was thinking of re-enacting their first coming together, though the glass roof was still broken and the effect wouldn't be as entrancing. Nero had to stop himself from drooling at the memory of the older man crashing through that roof, his coat tails billowing out as he landed in a rain of shattered glass.

"Hey, err... old man..." he cleared his throat. "What's up?"

"You haven't finished your patrol yet," Dante informed him.

"Huh?"

"I smell demons in that building."

"The Opera House? Well, I guess that's a possibility, I have only just started."

"Mind if I tag along, or will I get in your way?"

Nero glared at the sarcasm laced in his voice. "I'll _accidentally_ shoot you if you don't shut up."

"I doubt you could do it if you tried!"

"Alright, let's make this a game; the one who kills the most wins. If I win, you have to stop calling me kid and if you win... well, what do you want?"

_I want to fuck you through the nearest wall_. "You have to put me up for a few nights, cook me dinner and buy me some beers."

"I'm not a five star hotel, you know."

"Like I care?"

Nero growled. "Okay, you're on."

Dante chuckled and ruffled the kid's hair again. "You are such a spitfire! No wonder I regretted leaving you behind!"

The teen blinked a few times. "And what's that supposed to mean?"

"For now, it can mean whatever you want it to mean. But right now, we got some demons to dispatch before they start picking on the locals. If I remember you correctly from last time, you don't like to watch people suffer. Seeing as you pretty much saved everybody in this place, I imagine they look up to you to protect them now."

Nero looked away. "I wouldn't say that."

"Aw, come on kid, give yourself some credit."

"That wasn't what I was referring to, exactly... but never mind that, I've got a bet to win!"

Dante watched as the younger man walked away from him in the direction of the Opera House, his enthusiasm seemingly renewed. It looked like the poor kid wasn't exactly the number one guy in town, just as Trish said Lady had heard. In more ways than one, he was glad to have been pushed into making a trip to Fortuna to pay him a visit; if anything, he needed cheering up. He smirked, knowing a number of ways in which he could 'cheer up' the younger man, but he needed to control himself. After all, if things were the same as last time, there seemed to be a girl involved.

"Hey old man!" Nero yelled back at him. "You coming or are you gonna just let me win?"

The elder chuckled. "Not on your life, kid."

* * *

_Some action! These guys are just so clueless when it comes to each other... stay tuned and bare with me if chapter 3 is late._


	3. Just a Trick of the Light

_Wow, so many reviews! Sorry for the lateness again, but I did have a small virus problem to take care of, all good now though and no damage!_

_**Ellocin: **Thanks for reviewing! Glad you like their thoughts (I enjoy writing those bits!) and the fighting!_

_**Littleliesdonthurt: **Thanks for the review! Ah I see, I haven't played Final Fantasy (any of them) so I don't know any of the characters! Yeah, Dante is a real pervert isn't he? XD_

_**furesesse1: **Thank you for reviewing! Indeed, much hating for Kyrie is in store, especially soon!_

_**SirenaLoreley: **Thank you for reviewing! I love Basilisks too (I want one) and I'm glad all the fighting and stuff went down so well! XD_

_**BattleGoddess126: **Thank you for the review and yeah, that image is a real turn off!_

_**Bitbyboth: **Thanks for the review and for pointing out my grammatical errors, hopefully I caught them all this time! XD – glad they're still in character too._

_**Queenofloveandhearts: **Thanks for reviewing, don't worry about being short, any review is awesome!_

_**VioletIsInPain: **Thank you for the review and yeah, Kyrie really should have died at the start of the game!_

_**TheRealAkuRoku: **Thanks for reviewing and as you'll see they have a bit of fun here, well Dante anyway!_

_All of you fantastic people get cookies! Now on to chapter 3..._

* * *

**Chapter 3 – Just a Trick of the Light**

The first thing Dante noticed as they approached the Opera House was that it, and everything along the way, looked exactly the same as when he left. Sure, the buildings were lined with scaffolding, indicating that reconstruction was indeed taking place, but there were no construction workers. Their equipment was still in place and there were even a few empty lunch boxes, but no people. It looked like everyone had given up trying to rebuild the city from the ruined state it had been left in and it seemed as though the Order weren't getting involved in the process.

"Are the demon attacks that bad, kid?" asked Dante.

"I wouldn't say they were bad," Nero replied. "The people just scare easily."

"Come on, a few Basilisks like before are easy to take care of; a quick dispatch and once their gone, the builders can get back to work. I mean, you're here on patrol every day and you seem to do a good job, so why hasn't this construction site been visited for a few days?"

"I told you old man, they scare easily. All the demons come round here and the builders can't get their work done."

"What about the Order? Don't they post guards?"

"Sure, but you have to remember the Order isn't the same anymore. It tried to regroup after the incidents two months ago, but they can't get organised. I'm pretty much all they've got left and the people are just..." Nero cut himself off. "Never mind, let's just get this done."

"Hey, wait a second!" Dante grabbed Nero by the arm. "The people are just what?"

"I said forget it, old man. Or do you want to lose this bet?"

Dante sighed, but smirked at him. "I'm not losing anything."

"Then you'd better keep up, because I'm not waiting for you!"

On that note, the younger hunter sprinted off towards the entrance to the Opera House, his left hand moving round to his back to grasp the hilt of Red Queen. _Little punk_, Dante thought as he followed him, his eyes dropping low to see if he could catch a glimpse of the teen's ass as his coat tails billowed out behind him. But it still wasn't enough to distract him from what Nero was saying; the kid wasn't telling him something and he was determined to find out what. His initial thought was that there were more than lesser demons visiting Fortuna, but now he was beginning to think that the townsfolk were afraid of their should-be hero. He was brought out of thought as he heard said hero curse, managing to slow down just in time to stop himself running into Nero's back.

"Damn it, k-"

However it didn't take long for the elder to see exactly why Nero had been cursing. In the centre of the Opera House, among the still broken wooden pews, was a single blind demon surrounded by crackling electricity. Immediately, Dante whipped Ebony and Ivory from their holsters, almost wanting to ask Nero to sit this out, but he knew that would never happen. Nero took out Blue Rose and flexed the claws of his Devil Bringer, trying to forget his last encounter with one of these so that he'd at least have some chance of beating Dante.

"I just love these guys!" the elder noted with a grin.

"Oh I bet you do," Nero replied. "But I'm still gonna win this bet."

"Hmm, confident are we? You know how to deal with this?"

"Sure, easy."

Nero didn't hear what Dante said to him next as the Blitz turned its head towards them, its electricity glowing brightly as it sensed they were nearby. The most recent encounter the teen had with a Blitz was three weeks ago and it had caught him in a death grip; he had been unable to get away from it before it exploded. On top of the slow healing from that almost deadly encounter, the electrical burns were a nightmare and to rub salt into the wounds, no one helped him recover, not even Kyrie. However, the last person he'd tell that story too was Dante, so he needed to keep his cool and give the older man the impression that he knew what he was doing.

"Okay, so how do you wanna do this? There's only one demon, so no one can get a higher score over the other," Nero questioned.

"Never give up, do ya?" Dante remarked with a chuckle. "Alright, there's no other choice but to make sure that the one who deals the finishing blow is the winner. Whoever fires the last shot at the Blitz gets it."

"Sounds good to me, but I think I've got this in the bag!"

"Whatever you say kid, so fire away... and don't get caught."

"I said I know what to do, old man," Nero growled, trying not to sound sulky.

"Then don't come crying to me when you get zapped."

"Heh, as if I'd do something so..."

But he was cut off as a bolt of electricity flew between the two devil hunters, blasting a hole through the wall behind them. He looked behind him briefly to see what damage it had done, but his sudden distraction allowed Dante to get a head start. Nero cursed under his breath, turning back round to see the older man already into the action, his twin guns firing relentlessly at the Blitz. The demon kept flashing around the room in an attempt to evade Dante's gunfire, but Nero knew from experience that they could move faster than that. However, it's rapid movement was no trouble for the older hunter, who was easily able to keep track of it and land hits on it every time.

"Show off," Nero muttered.

However, the teen had stayed in one spot for far too long whilst he'd been distracted watching Dante. The Blitz had teleported behind him, electricity gathering around it as it aimed an attack at the younger slayer. He heard the older male shout to get his attention, but Nero smirked and immediately tried to work the situation to his advantage. He quickly jumped into the air and flipped backwards to narrowly avoid the huge surge of electricity that erupted from the Blitz, knowing that now was his chance. He aimed Blue Rose at the demon, his Devil Bringer glowing brightly as he charged up the shot in his revolver. He fired the twin bullets, the force from the charged shot appearing to do a lot of damage to the demon's electric shield.

"Gotcha!" Nero exclaimed with a grin.

"Heh, don't get so cocky kid," Dante cut in with a smirk.

"Whatever old man, just because you can't move like me!"

"You'd better watch out, you're not as fast as him."

Whilst the older man had interrupted him, the Blitz had teleported away from Nero and closer to Dante. The kid growled, realising that the older man was trying his hardest to distract him from winning the bet. But he would have none of that, regardless to how sexy he looked when he dodged attacks and handled his twin guns like a master. Nero shook his head, refusing to allow himself to think of such things while he was in the man's presence, never mind in the middle of a fight. Instead, he tried to swing the current situation to his advantage, determined as ever to win the bet. He watched carefully as Dante rolled over to the side to avoid a bolt of lightning, sitting back up on his knees to aim several rapid shots at the demon.

Nero smirked and flicked his eyes back across the room to watch the Blitz; its shield was weakening and now was his chance to land the finishing blow. Keeping his blue orbs locked on the devil's location, he charged up a shot with Blue Rose, the revolver's barrel locked on its target. Once ready, he fired, the bullets hitting the demon's body but not dealing enough damage to defeat it. Nero cursed, quickly trying to reload his signature gun to get another shot, but he wasn't fast enough. He spun round on his heel as the Blitz teleported behind him, electricity crackling dangerously around its clawed hands. It struck out and knocked the kid backwards, sending him skidding across the floor headfirst into a stack of broken seats.

"Nero!" Dante yelled. "Shit."

The Blitz immediately started to power up for an attack on the downed hunter, the older man gauging that he wouldn't be able to reach Nero in time. Taking a risk he would never do whilst fighting alone, Dante abandoned his strategy and ran towards the demon. Using the momentum he had gained from his sprint, the red clad part devil leapt slightly into the air, stretching out his legs and landing a hard kick in the demon's side. Howling with rage, the Blitz was knocked to the ground, its electrical discharge firing in a random direction and missing the kid by a long way. Dante stumbled on his feet as he landed, his left foot still tingling from the impact with the demon's electrical shield.

The Blitz got back to its feet and sensed out the leather clad half demon quickly, charging up another attack to aim at Dante. Across the room, Nero slowly gathered himself to his feet, his body aching from the impact with the floor and several places burning from the demon's attack. He looked ahead to see said demon getting ready to attack Dante again and he quickly reached for Blue Rose, only to find that his revolver was missing. He cursed, watching as the elder hunter easily dodged the burst of lightning from the Blitz and leapt high into the air. Dante flipped over and aimed his guns downward, spinning in the air as he fired several deadly shots and destroying the demon's shield.

The first thing that reached Nero's thoughts was the annoyance of losing his bet with the elder, but he quickly refocused on reality as the Blitz began to glow a bright red. He quickly tried to run, but he staggered backwards as his legs almost gave way beneath him; when he hit the floor, he had trapped one leg under the other and his circulation had been restricted. Fortunately, he managed to throw himself to the side as an angry red streak flashed by him, just about managing to stay on his feet though his movement was somewhat limited. Nero tried to follow the movements of the Blitz as it bounced around the room, glowing an angry red and trying to make one last desperate attempt to kill one of the two slayers. He cursed as he stumbled again, looking up and widening his eyes when he realised he was in the path of the rampaging devil.

"Damn it kid, what are you doing?" Dante yelled.

"I've got a dead leg," Nero shouted back. "I can't move!"

"How the heck did you stay alive for two months without me?"

Before Nero could respond to that, he turned to see the older hunter running towards him. He raised an eyebrow in confusion, but he was quickly tackled by the larger male, crashing to the cold stone floor just in time to miss the Blitz streaking down towards him. Red sparks flew over them, Nero trying to find out where the demon was now, but he was crushed beneath Dante's strong body. Somewhere at the opposite end of the room, there was a violent flash of red and an explosion as the Blitz burnt itself out. All was quiet in the aftermath apart from Nero's harsh pants.

"Thanks old man," Nero grumbled. "I guess I owe ya one."

"You sure do kid," Dante said with a smirk as he looked down at the other man. "You'd better hold up to your side of the deal; you have to put me up for a few days."

"Yeah, yeah. I'd have won if it wasn't for my stupid leg."

"You'd have won if you'd been paying attention in the first place!"

Nero growled. "Shut up."

Dante narrowed his icy blue eyes, the stare making Nero feel almost uncomfortable. Unexpectedly, the elder grasped his chin with a gloved hand and titled his head to the side, his gaze falling on a burn mark along the side of his cheek.

"You really can't handle those guys, can you?" he teased.

"It's your fault for getting in my way," Nero retorted, trying to sound cocky.

"Oh, so you'd rather me not save your ass next time?"

The kid blushed. "I wouldn't need my ass saving if you didn't get in my way in the first place."

"Aren't you the cocky little thing eh, punk bitch."

"Whatever, asshole!"

Dante chuckled. "This is going to hurt for a day or two."

Without giving the teen any warning, he lowered his head to the burn mark on Nero's cheek and slowly licked it. Nero's blue orbs flew wide open as he felt the elder's hot, moist tongue contact his burnt skin. It wasn't just the sting that surprised him, it was the fact that Dante was _licking_ him whilst pinning him to the floor of the Opera House. _Heh, maybe if you're a good boy he'll lick you somewhere else_. Nero growled softly as he ignored his demon side, placing his Devil Bringer against Dante's shoulder and shoving him away.

"What the hell, old man?" he seethed, trying desperately to hide his blush.

"Just cooling it off, it helps," Dante replied with a devilish smirk.

"I told you, I don't need your help."

"And I told you, _I just saved your ass_."

Nero sighed. "I'm not going to let this go, am I?"

"Nope."

"What a great day this is turning out to be. Not only did you see me mess up fighting lesser demons, you won the bet with the Blitz and had to save my ass for the second time. Then you... you... did _that_ to me..."

Dante laughed and slapped a hand against his thigh before rising to his feet. "Is it really that much of a deal?"

"Of course it is!"

"Aw, is little Nero embarrassed because he can't keep up with his elders?"

"Oh shut up! You are the most annoying, narcissistic bastard I know."

"Yeah and you missed me, didn't you kid?"

Nero blushed but couldn't help the grin that spread to his lips. "Of course I did, you moron."

The kid managed to regain some movement in his dead leg as he quickly leapt to his feet and ran to trap Dante in a tight hug. As he heard the man snicker and ruffle his hair, he made a mental note to never do that again. But he still couldn't deny how pleasant it felt to have his embrace returned, strong arms enclosing him against a warm, muscular chest. It felt like heaven. _Admit it; you want him_. Again, Nero ignored his devil side, removing himself from the comfort of Dante's arms and looking around the room to try and find his revolver.

"I guess you missed me too, eh?" asked Nero teasingly.

"Of course I did," Dante replied. "You'd even miss a guy like Sanctus if you had Lady and Trish to deal with every day."

_So, he knows at least two girls then_, Nero thought as his heart fell. "Friends of yours?"

"Heh, money grabbing leeches more like it but yeah, you can call them that."

"Sounds like _you_ need someone to save _your_ ass."

Dante smirked. "Find your gun and let's go; I'm expecting a full course meal from you!"

Nero stuck his tongue out before turning his attention to the floor again, searching through the destroyed pews for his trusty Blue Rose. Dante watched with interest, his arms folded across his chest and a wicked smirk on his face as Nero bent over to rummage through the wood. He glared a little at the kid's blue coat, almost hoping that the harsh stare would be enough to remove it so he could get a good look at that firm backside. He held back from drooling as he undressed the younger man with his eyes, imagining the same pale flesh that constantly plagued his dreams. He subconsciously licked his lips and, as Nero bent down further when he found his gun, he could have sworn he heard his demon side purring. _Damn, am I really this attracted to the punk_?

"Phew, at least she isn't broken," Nero noted.

Dante shook his head to bring him round from his fantasy, staring almost disappointedly at a fully clothed Nero as he dusted down his gun. Smirking at how incompetent the kid could be at times, he titled his head back to look at the broken glass in the roof, the gaping hole presently covered to keep out any unwanted weather. It reminded him all too quickly of his first meeting with Nero; he had looked at him after shooting Sanctus, but only really noticed him when he'd been kicked in the face. He chuckled, pinching the bridge of his nose as he recalled the sensation.

"What?" Nero asked him, glaring a little.

"Nothing aimed at you, kid," Dante replied, turning to look at him again.

"Going senile already, old man?"

"Tch, watch your mouth or I'll teach you a few things."

The teen made a face. "Come on, I still need to finish this patrol."

"Dedicated to your job, huh?"

"Yeah and I don't even get paid for it."

"Heh, you're actually worse off than me!"

"Says the man who came here because there were no demons at home. Unless of course, you actually came here to see me because you were _lonely_."

Dante strolled over to him and playfully clipped him across the top of the head. "You wish."

"Screw you Dante," Nero grumbled, rubbing the side of his head.

"Sorry kid, I won the bet remember so you're the one doing me favours."

The kid scowled at him. "You are such a pervert."

The elder spread his arms out. "Number one in the world!"

"Let's just get out of here, the Order will kill me if any stragglers are left."

He gave Dante a playful shove to the shoulder, smiling slightly as he smirked at him before turning around and sauntering over to the exit. Before he could make a move to leave himself, he felt a strange sensation wash over him; almost like a tingle that ran from the base of his spine to his neck. Shivering slightly, Nero looked back over his shoulder as he had the sudden feeling that something was watching him. However, all he saw was a shadow that spread out from behind the old statue of Sparda, casting long streaks across the stone floor. He narrowed his eyes, his gaze being drawn into the darkest part just behind the statue...

"Hey kid!" Dante called. "What's up?"

Nero jumped a little. "N-Nothing... I'm coming."

Ignoring the unusual feeling, the teen jogged across the hall and joined the elder hunter, the pair of them leaving. Once they were outside, it had started to drizzle slightly. Dante growled as his silvery locks began soaking in the droplets of water, wondering if the rain had followed him all the way from his home.

"Dante," Nero said, suddenly. "Did you feel anything weird in the Opera House?"

"Huh?" he looked down at the younger man, running his fingers through his damp hair. "No, not really, unless you call remembering being kicked in the face weird."

"Hmm, must have been nothing then. I thought it felt like something was there."

"Well, when I originally smelt demons from here, I was expecting more than just one Blitz. But I didn't smell anything once I dispatched it; must have been tougher than the average."

Nero rubbed the side of his nose. "I guess it was just a trick of the light."

"Shadows spooking you out kid?"

"Oh shut up, you ass."

Dante smirked and continued to follow the younger hunter on his patrol. Unfortunately, there wasn't a single demon in sight and as the drizzle began to get heavier, he doubted that any would have the decency to show up and provide some entertainment. However, what the red clad male did notice were things he would consider far worse than any demon, no matter how powerful. The locals were also wandering the streets, probably attempting to finish any business for the day before the rain became any heavier. Some of the people who passed them by glanced at him strangely, but it was nothing in comparison to the looks they were giving Nero.

Most observed the kid as though they were terrified of him, mothers ushering away their children as they stared wide eyed at his devil arm. The rest looked at him as though he were a bug that had recently crawled out from under a rock and their eyes harboured an expression of disgust that made Dante's stomach churn. He glared at them, instinctively walking closer to Nero's side and forcing himself not to slip an arm over his shoulders. He glanced down at the younger hunter from time to time, noticing that his blue gaze was deliberately avoiding the eyes of the townsfolk. In fact, during the occasions where passersby would mutter things under their breaths, the poor kid looked as though he were trying desperately not to cry. The way the Fortunians were treating Nero made Dante want to Trigger in a blinding rage and completely level the city beyond repair.

"Friendly lot, aren't they?" Dante grumbled, glaring at a young child and almost making him cry.

"They probably remember you killed his Holiness," Nero replied.

"Bullshit, it ain't me they're looking at."

"Forget it, Dante. I've had it with this patrol, nothing's gonna show up."

"Good; I for one am hungry and I'm betting there's nowhere to get pizza around here."

"No, but I can do you some steak. You'll eat that, right?"

"Hell yeah, I can rarely afford it! I didn't expect you to want to treat me so wonderfully!"

Nero's cheeks heated up at that comment. "I'm not... I was going to have it anyway..."

Dante chuckled and ruffled his hair. "Thanks kid; it's always great to know that I have someone like you around."

"Damn, you've really become soft in your old age, haven't you?"

The elder laughed. "Nah, I just meant that it's nice to have someone who isn't against me having a full wallet."

Nero glared and gave him a friendly shove. "You've just cut the size of your portion, asshole."

"Aw, don't be like that; we had a nice little thing going there."

"In your dreams! I'm only doing this because I'm the kind of guy who sticks to his end of the deal."

"And there was me thinking you liked me," Dante grinned and slipped an arm around Nero's shoulders. "Come on, show me back to your place and you can cook me dinner. That and you've got some wounds that need cleaning up."

The elder gently ran his thumb pad against the burn on Nero's cheek, feeling the heat still radiating from it. The teen growled and wriggled out from under Dante's strong arm, stepping to the side so that there was at least a person's width between them.

"No perverted stuff old man," he grumbled. "Or I'm leaving you out in the street."

Dante chuckled. "Lead on, kid."

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_Well Dante certainly had a bit of fun with Nero here... I'll get onto chapter 4 right away and hopefully update faster this time!_


	4. Eyes That Burn With Hate

_New chapter, somewhat filling in between the action, but we get some interaction between the boys! As always, thanks to all you awesome people who have reviewed/favourited, you all get more cookies!_

_**SirenaLoreley: **Thanks for reviewing! Yeah, we all love our favourite pervert, same as we hate the Fortunians! As for Nero's stalker, you'll find out ;)_

_**VioletIsInPain: **Thank you for the review, glad you're enjoying it so far… and the tongue bath! XD_

_**BattleGoddess126: **Thanks for the review and I totally agree with you on the Blitz, took me a while to figure them out too!_

_**TheRealAkuRoku:** Thank you for reviewing! Glad you're still enjoying it and thanks for the hug! ^^_

_**Bitbyboth: **Thanks for reviewing! Glad you like the fight scene! It's always fun to get the two boys in the same space together! XD_

_

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**Chapter 4 – Eyes That Burn With Hate**

Dante didn't quite know what he was expecting, but he was certainly expecting something a little bigger. Nero's home was a three storey flat block that was made from the same, dreary brown brickwork as most of the city's buildings were and lacked the gothic architecture commonly seen. Though it could have been a lot worse as it didn't appear run down from the outside. He followed Nero up to the front door and waited for him to unlock it before being shown inside. The staircase creaked noisily as they trudged up to the second floor where Nero lived; the doors to the first two flats below were locked, suggesting that their occupants were out.

"Anyone else live in this flat, kid?" asked Dante.

"Just two guys from the Order," Nero replied. "I don't really know them."

"Oh? Shouldn't you be their superior or something?"

The teen snorted. "Whatever, I do what I do alone without the Order."

Dante raised an eyebrow. "Is your relationship with them really that rocky?"

"Listen," he sighed. "Can we talk about this after we've eaten?"

Dante frowned at the irritated tone in Nero's voice, but he was still just as determined to find out what was bothering him. His mood swings varied so often; one minute, he was the cocky young punk he'd met two months ago and the next, he looked so small and lost.

"Then we'll eat now, because we're going to talk," Dante told him.

"Never give up, do ya?" Nero remarked with a sigh.

"You should know that perfectly well by now."

The elder held back from ruffling the kid's hair again, trying not to be too touchy-feely with him so soon. It might end up getting him a lot worse than a sock in the face. On the top floor, Nero stopped outside the heavy wooden door and unlocked it, shoving it open with a loud squeak. When Dante stepped over the threshold into Nero's home, the first thing he noticed was how empty the place felt. From an initial glance, it looked just like any other small flat; a living room with an adjoining kitchen and two doors sectioning it from the bedroom and the bathroom. It was well kept and in good condition with decent quality furnishings, but it just lacked the feel of home.

"You don't like it here, do you?" asked Dante, scratching the back of his neck.

"What makes you say that?" Nero questioned. "It's not big, but it's comfortable."

"It just doesn't welcome you home, if you know what I mean."

"I guess not, but I've only lived here for just under two months."

"Oh, so you lived somewhere else before this?"

"I used to live with Kyrie."

Dante frowned slightly. "But not anymore?"

"Well, you know. I just wanted my own space, you see..."

_That's not very convincing, kid._ "Can I use your shower?"

Nero cocked an eyebrow. "Sure, if you want to."

"Good, because fighting demons always works up a sweat."

The teen sighed and shook his head. "There's a mirror in there as well, in case you're worried."

Dante chuckled, but he was distracted from replying to that as Nero shrugged of his coat, hung it up on the back of the main door and unzipped his red hoodie. The kid's body looked well toned beneath the thin, tight fitting navy tank top he wore underneath and the fabric had ridden up just enough to expose a thin line of flesh around his abdomen. Dante swallowed thickly before removing his own coat to hang it next to Nero's; he was really beginning to lose it.

"See ya in a bit kid," he said as he made a dash for the bathroom.

"Err Dante... that one's the bedroom," Nero warned him.

"Oh, yeah okay... must be this one then!"

"I'll get dinner cooked while you're in there."

Dante shut the door quickly and locked the door, growling at his demon side for throwing several insults his way. He closed his eyes and leaned back against the door for a moment; if he'd have known hanging around the kid after missing him for two months would be so difficult, he would have dragged him back home with him after giving him Yamato. Sighing, he pushed away from the door and stripped before getting into the tiny shower cubicle and pulling the curtain across. As he turned the tap, he was instantly hit with lukewarm water, something he was unfamiliar with from his shower at the Devil May Cry office. It actually felt somewhat relaxing and it was certainly better than making a fool of himself in front of Nero.

_You're an idiot; obviously things aren't cool with the girl so ask him and then take him!_ Dante groaned under his breath, trying to ignore his devil side, which was presently making things feel very awkward around the object of his affections. _You know you want too_... the elder clenched his fist, managing to stop himself from shouting and potentially making himself appear mentally disturbed. Of course he wanted to, he wanted to more than anything, but that wasn't the way he should treat a man he wanted more than just a quick fuck from.

"Damn, guess Vince was right," he muttered under his breath. "I do have feelings for the kid."

At least that comment seemed to quieten down his devil side; if he had feelings for Nero, then it would soon get what it wanted. Dante frowned; _did I really just refer to myself as two separate beings?_ Ignoring that train of thought, he turned off the water and stepped out of the shower, not bothering to use any of Nero's soap or even registering the fact that it was rose scented. He grabbed a white towel from the rail and dried himself off before running it through his silvery hair. Deciding not to worry Nero by walking out completely naked, he pulled on his red leather trousers and left his boxers behind with his chaps and shirt. It would be a bit of fun when the kid found them later.

Snickering to himself as he imagined a cute blush on Nero's pretty face, Dante left the bathroom and was immediately greeted by a welcome smell. It had been so long since he'd had anything other than pizza that he'd forgotten what other food smelt like. The scent of grilling steak had him practically drooling, something that wasn't helped by the site of Nero standing in front of the cooker. The kid had changed out of his jeans and was now wearing a pair of tight black leisure pants that hung a little way below his hips, just about revealing the upper cleft of his buttocks. Dante licked his lips and was unfortunate enough to be caught by Nero as he turned round.

"Smells good, does it?" Nero asked teasingly.

_Yeah, but you look tastier_. "Sure does kid," Dante replied. "As much as I love pizza, it's nice to eat something else for a change."

"You seriously only eat pizza?"

"Hell yeah! Are you telling me you don't?"

"Sure I like pizza, but... every damn day?"

Dante shrugged and crossed the room to sit down at the small table. "Never hurt me."

Nero rolled his eyes skyward before he turned back to check on the chips that were cooking in the oven, managing to hide his blush. Luckily, he had managed to keep his tone even after the pleasant surprise of seeing Dante walk out of the bathroom without a shirt on. The man was just as well toned and muscled as he imagined, if not better, but it was only going to make things even more difficult. There was no way in hell that such a hot guy was gay and, giving the run of luck he'd had in the past two months, he would definitely be straight. Straight as an arrow.

"Hey kid, are you paying attention over there?" Dante's voice interrupted his chain of thought.

Nero looked up to see what the elder was referring to, but he noticed quickly that the steaks were beginning to get a little too well done. Cursing a little at allowing himself to get lost in thought, he switched off the grill and removed the pan holding the steaks with his Devil Bringer so he didn't burn himself. He heard Dante snicker behind him and he glared at the slabs of meat, wondering whether the other man purposely left the bathroom half naked to distract him. _That would mean he's interested, right?_ Nero blushed a little at that thought but was able to divert his attention in favour of concentrating on the chips in the oven.

Without any further distraction from his 'guest', Nero finished with what he was doing and plated up. Oddly enough, the elder was waiting rather patiently for the younger hunter to hand him his steak and chips. Dante glanced up at the kid as the plate of delicious smelling food was placed in front of him, unable to prevent his eyes from dropping low to the thin line of exposed flesh at his midriff. He continued to stare as Nero walked round the table, but sadly he had pulled up the back of his trousers so they were seated back on his hips. He cleared his throat as the other man sat down opposite him, reaching for the bottle of ketchup and drowning his chips in the thick red sauce.

"Seriously, do you need that much?" asked Nero, hoping there would be enough left for him.

"Oh, so I can't eat the way I usually do?" Dante replied, handing him the bottle.

"Yeah but at that rate, all you'll be able to taste is tomato."

"Hey, I've never had your cooking before, I might _need_ to only taste tomato."

Nero glared at him. "You didn't have to ask me to do this, you know."

"You're right, I didn't. You should have offered to cook for me."

The teen flipped him off. "You can be a real asshole, you know."

"You love it kid, I know it."

"Shut up and eat it, old man."

Dante smirked, enjoying getting the kid so riled up. To his surprise, the steak tasted just as good as it smelt and it was certainly good quality meat. As he started to think of the idea of being able to have Nero cook for him every day, his devil side started purring with satisfaction again. He cleared his throat again, deciding to move back to previous conversations to silence his inner demon.

"So then kid," he mumbled through a mouthful. "About what I asked earlier."

Nero cocked an eyebrow. "I can't understand you with your mouth full."

"I said..." Dante swallowed the rest of his food. "About what I asked earlier."

"Oh, what exactly?"

"Before we entered the Opera House, you were saying something about the people here but you didn't tell me what when I asked."

Nero glanced back down at his plate. "Really? I don't recall."

"Come on, we both know that's not the case."

The teen sighed. "Just what do you want me to say, old man?"

Dante stared at him seriously. "The villagers aren't just afraid of the demons, are they?"

"Look, can we just..."

"Stop cutting me off kid, it's getting irritating."

"Why are you so damned interested anyway?"

"Because I saw the way those people were looking at you before and they were afraid of you. Hell, some of them looked as though they wanted you to just drop dead right there. I can assume the same from the lack of workmen at the Opera House too; the reason why they don't come back to finish the job is because they're afraid of you, isn't it?"

Nero continued to eat silently, causing the elder to sigh deeply. "Please Nero, just talk to me."

The kid glanced up, his azure eyes meeting those of the man opposite. "It's nothing, Dante."

"It doesn't seem like nothing to me, you seemed a bit bothered by it at times."

"I get used to it, that's all. They've acted this way ever since you left."

"So you're just happy to let this continue?"

Nero sighed. "How can I change them, eh? If you haven't noticed, this is a religious city and I'm not exactly an angle, am I? When the people see my arm, all they see is a demon, nothing else. Everyone expected the problems to go away when the Saviour was defeated, but the devils just keep coming back. They started to think that I'm the cause of the problem because of my arm, they don't stop to think it's simply because the demon's can smell weakness."

Dante frowned. "But they know you practically saved this place, right?"

"Dante, most of the people still believe Sanctus wasn't behind it! They think I was."

"In that case, have you ever thought of leaving?"

"If I left here, who would hunt the demons? All of these people would be dead if I left."

"Yeah, but they don't seem to think of it like that, do they?"

"Aside from that, I still have Kyrie. I can't just leave her here."

_I wondered when the girl would come into play_. "What, she can't take care of herself?" Dante grimaced inwardly; _tactful Dante, very tactful_.

"Well, we grew up together; I just feel I have a bit of an obligation."

"Ah, so that's why you used to live together... but why aren't you there anymore?"

Nero's gaze faltered noticeably. "I told you, I needed space..."

"She's afraid of you too, isn't she?"

The teen bit his lip, knowing that it was impossible to hide the truth from the elder. "It seems like she believed what the people say about me too..."

"Damn it kid, why did you put yourself through that for two months?"

"I hoped that maybe if they could see my true intentions, they'd have more faith in me."

Dante sighed again. "Look Nero, there are some people that never change and you should know that better than anyone now. Even if you grew white feathery wings and a halo the people would still think you were responsible for the demon attacks. I came up here to see how you were doing seeing as I had reliable intel suggesting you were carrying on without the approval of the locals. Seems that the demons weren't taking your mind of things, hmm?"

Nero smiled lightly. "Until a certain other demon I know showed up."

The elder chuckled. "I'm always around if you need me kid, maybe I should have left you my number with that gift I gave you."

The teen blushed as Dante winked, playfully. "Dinner's getting cold, old man."

Dante snorted, but continued eating at his host's request; the food did taste damn good and it would be a shame to let it go cold. Once he finished, he stretched back in the wooden chair and yawned slightly, not failing to check out Nero as he cleared their plates away. He smirked and moved to sit on the slightly frayed blue couch, beginning to think he could get used to the idea of having the kid around. Now that it seemed the girl wasn't Nero's love interest, there'd be no harm in asking the younger man to come and live with him at the office.

Nero sighed contentedly, fighting off the urge to hum a random tune to himself whilst he washed up the dishes. He hadn't really told Dante just how much the atmosphere in the town was getting him down, but simply a few words from the elder made him feel like a new person again. He had occasionally allowed himself to think that the red half demon had forgotten about him, but it was clearly not the case. Not only had the man given him a very important gift, but he even returned to see him and cheer him up in a way no one else could. It almost made him think he had a chance with the guy, but he knew they were only friends. That was all they'd ever be.

After drying his hands of the soapy water, Nero left the kitchen to use the bathroom. The first thing he noticed when he opened the door was the rest of Dante's clothes on the floor; his black leather shirt, chaps and a pair of red silk boxers. A dark blush lit up his face and, although he should have been annoyed at the elder for leaving his clothes around, he found himself unable to be. He bent down to pick up the shirt, unconsciously hugging it to himself as he breathed in the older man's scent. It reminded him of being hugged to his warm, muscular chest but the scent soon started to work its way to his groin. Glaring at himself, and his devil arm for glowing so brightly, he dropped the shirt back on the floor and finished what he came into the bathroom for.

"Dante," Nero started as he left the bathroom. "Do you have to leave your clothes around?"

"Huh?" the elder glanced at him. "Oh yeah, sorry kid, it's a habit."

"Then go a fetch them because I'm _not_ doing it for you."

Dante smirked. "Sure. Besides, you promised me a beer or two, right?"

"Oh yeah I forgot, I still haven't upheld my side of the bet," he rolled his eyes skyward, wondering when the other man would let it drop, if ever. "But we'll need to go to the store for that, I'm not really welcome in any of the bars, you know."

"You mean this city actually has bars?"

"Sure it does, just they don't like half demons, funnily enough."

"Heh," Dante walked over to him and placed a thumb under his chin. "At least you're thinking more on the bright side now."

"Just get your clothes back on, old man! And at least wear some underwear..." Nero tried to fight back the blush that threatened to return. "Going commando in leather is... kinda weird."

Dante laughed. "Actually it's pretty comfy down there."

The teen glared at him as he smirked and rubbed at his crotch. "Sick old pervert."

Soon, the two of them left Nero's apartment for the streets of the city, which were only partially lit from the setting sun. A few people were wandering around, but not in the same numbers as during the day; it looked like the nightlife in Fortuna was rather nonexistent. Dante paid attention to the locals as he walked by Nero's side, catching their sideways glances at the kid every so often. He glared back at several of them, seeming to make a point, but the nasty looks kept on coming. Their eyes just seemed to almost burn with hatred as they looked upon the part devil and it made Dante want to level the place even more. He hoped that a group of demons didn't show up now because if they did, he'd certainly lose it and end up Triggering.

Once they entered the late night store, Dante was able to breathe a sigh of relief; the place was empty apart from an old man behind the counter. The two made their way to refrigerator units, which were mostly full of soft drinks, but they contained a few brands of bottled beer. As Nero pulled open the fridge door and fetched out a few bottles, Dante felt eyes on them. He glanced in the direction of the counter where the old man was giving them odd looks, mostly in the direction of his younger companion. However, the expression in his eyes was somewhat different, especially when his eyes fell on Rebellion and refused to look elsewhere. At least Nero wasn't the target this time.

The sun had gone down quickly so when they left the shop, it was mostly dark and the streets were lit only by the soft light from the lamps. On the walk back to Nero's flat, the kid was oddly quiet, but Dante fully understood his reasons. A few more people were out on the streets and, because of the darkness, it was easy to see the glowing light of Nero's demonic arm. No wonder he preferred to hide it in a sling; the locals seemed drawn to it like moths to a flame, though not in a positive way. They turned around a street corner and immediately came face to face with a group of five men who were wearing uniforms of the Order. Nero dropped his gaze to the ground, hoping to walk by unnoticed but Dante was already glaring a warning at them. As the men passed, the closest 'accidentally' bumped into Nero, almost knocking him into the elder slayer.

"Heh sorry, didn't see you there demon boy," the man sneered.

Nero ignored them, but Dante had stopped in his tracks. "Wanna try that again, pal?"

The Order member chuckled, turning to face the man in red. "And who are you?"

"I know him!" one of the others exclaimed. "That's Dante; he killed His Holiness!"

"Aw, I'm touched," Dante dramatically placed a hand on his chest. "You remembered me."

"Dante, let's just leave it," Nero grumbled, grasping his arm. "Let's just..."

"Forget it kid," the elder growled. "Someone needs to show these bastards a thing or two."

"Oh really?" the group leader laughed. "What's he to you then, devil boy? Your boyfriend?"

"So what if I was?" Dante questioned, resting a hand on his hip.

"Just another reason to drive scum like him out of our city!"

"Oh, do you wanna try saying that again."

The Order member snarled, flipping back the tail on his coat and grasping the handle of his sword. "Yeah, maybe I will say that again... after I've run this through you!"

He quickly pulled out his sword and charged at Dante, who had a broad grin on his face. Without even using any of his usual strength, he grasped the hilt of Rebellion and swung his sword down off his back, knocking the other man's sword from his hand in one blow. The other four men also reached for their swords, but they hesitated as Dante shot them a look that could kill, his fingers curling about his blade's handle.

"You sure you want to do that?" he taunted, darkly.

The Order member on his knees in front of Dante got to his feet, quickly trying to retrieve his sword, but Dante spotted him easily. He rested a flat face of Rebellion on the man's shoulder, one of the sharp edges dangerously close to his neck. His eyes widened and he stared up into the ice blue eyes of the leather clad half demon.

"I think you should get out of here," Dante growled.

"How dare you just walk around here like you own the place," the man shot back.

"Don't worry, I'll be out of your hair soon enough."

"Good. Then you can take that _thing_ with you."

He nodded his head in the direction of Nero, who looked away. Dante narrowed his eyes and removed his sword from the man's shoulder, reseating the blade on his back. As he turned away to leave, he made sure to step on his fingers, smirking at the grunt of pain he was rewarded with. Nero glanced over his shoulder briefly, watching as the four other Order members crowded around their leader, who was still kneeling on the floor. He knew two of those men and thankfully, neither of them lived in his flat. But he allowed himself a small smile; he hadn't expected Dante to act like that and it made him feel warm inside when the elder had defended him like that.

"Thanks Dante," Nero murmured, not looking at the older male.

He heard him chuckle. "Don't mention it, Nero."

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_Perverted Dante is still perverted... and a certain kid is in trouble... new update coming soon!_


	5. Into Welcome Arms

_New chapter! (finally). Thanks again for all of your wonderful reviews, hopefully I manage to reply to you all!_

_**Allmath: **Thanks for reviewing and yeah, don't wall all love a possessive Dante? XD Yeah, the Fortunians are horrible to the poor kid._

_**VioletIsInPain: **Thank you for the review, glad you liked the last chapter! Always good to step on some Order man's fingers... and Nero's gonna need some persuasion, especially in the bed department!_

_**WolfieX3: **Thanks for reviewing and I'm glad you're enjoying it so far! Dante is so naughty, isn't he? :3_

_**Bitbyboth: **Thanks for the review! Glad you liked Dante standing up for Nero, he needs it! And Dante is so perceptive! XD_

_**SirenaLoreley: **Thank you for reviewing! I'm glad you're loving all the interactions between the two boys and those Fortunians really need a telling off!_

_**Littleliesdonthurt: **Thanks for reviewing, got to love protective Dante! X3_

_**Furesesse1: **Thank you for the review! I'm just addicted to cute embarrassed and blushing Nero, such a typical uke! XD_

_**Ellocin: **Thanks for reviewing, glad you enjoyed it! Oh yeah, someone will definitely make him feel warm and fuzzy sometime in the future!_

_**BattleGoddess126: **Thanks for the review! Oh yeah, clueless boys as ever and we all love Dante to stick up for poor Nero!_

_Onto the next chapter, I think Kyrie haters will enjoy this one, I know I loved writing it! Oh, and perverted Dante is still perverted!  
_

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**Chapter 05 – Into Welcome Arms**

The night had been rather uneventful; Nero had half expected the Order members who lived in the flats below to come banging on his door. Maybe they hadn't heard about the incident, or maybe they didn't want to have their fingers stepped on by Dante. Either way, it was an uneventful night. Well, aside from Nero needing the bathroom at three in the morning and catching Dante asleep on the sofa, sprawled out with his hand inside his boxers. The kid's blush had been so prominent that if anyone saw it through a window, they may have thought the flat was on fire. When he woke up in the morning, he'd made a note to kick the old pervert's ass for that. On the other hand, his demon side had been quite interested to know what the other man had been dreaming about.

As a bright stream of morning sunshine shone through the window across Nero's eyes, the younger hunter was roused from a peaceful sleep. He yawned loudly and stretched, rubbing his eyes as he attempted to get some focus back into them. He felt unusually warm and he smiled, deciding to close his eyes again to have just a little bit more rest. As he wrapped himself back up in his sheets, he was instantly drawn to a warm object just to his left. His smile broadened as he cuddled up to the warmth, but his expression suddenly fell when he felt skin pressing against his cheek. With a startled yelp, Nero hurled the covers off the bed to see what it was, only to blush deeply when he realised the warm lump was another man.

His blue eyes fell on the sleeping form of Dante who was curled up on the bed next to him, surprisingly managing to fit quite well with him on the single mattress. His eyes were closed and a soft smile graced his handsome features. One arm was tucked securely against his chest while the other support his head, his fingers tangled in his messy white locks. Nero swallowed the lump in his throat as his eyes trailed downwards over his muscular upper body to see that the older man was still only wearing a pair of red silk boxers. His eyes took in the fine white hair that peeked over the top of the black waistband and if he looked carefully, he could just about make of the outline of his...

"Huh? Morning already?" enquired a sleepy voice.

Nero jumped when he realised Dante was slowly awakening from his slumber, probably at the loss of heat from the blanket. Snapping back to reality and ignoring the contented purr from his devil side, the teen reached for Blue Rose, which was lying on top of his bedside table. He pointed it at the elder slayer, a glare on his face when his azure eyes locked onto those of Dante.

"Hey kid," he mumbled sleepily. "Why are you pointing a gun at me?"

"What the fuck do you think you're doing?" Nero exclaimed.

Dante laughed. "Sorry, maybe I should have borrowed some of your pyjamas."

Nero's face lit up bright red again. "That's not what I meant! I meant what are you doing sleeping in _my_ bed?"

"Oh?" the older man looked around, smirked and turned back to the kid. "Damn, you're right I am sleeping in your bed! I wonder how I got here..."

Nero's glare intensified and placed his finger over the trigger. "Dante!"

"Alright, alright!" Dante chuckled. "Your sofa is stupidly lumpy, my back couldn't take much more of it and there was no way I was sleeping on the floor, so what other option did I have? The shower floor didn't particularly appeal either."

The younger man sighed and placed Blue Rose back on the cabinet. "Be thankful I didn't shoot you in the groin for that one, old man."

"Aw, you mean you didn't like sharing a bed with me?"

"Do you want me to retract that last statement?"

The elder smirked. "In case you're wondering, I slept better than I have done in months!"

Moments later, a rather miffed looking Nero left his bedroom, spinning his revolver around his index finger as he walked into the kitchen to make breakfast. A few minutes afterwards, a fully dressed Dante made his way cautiously into the living room, rubbing his inner thigh as he felt the skin knitting back together. _Damn kid, catching me off guard like that; those bullets hurt!_ He sat down at the table, managing not to glance at the teen just in case he decided to neglect making two portions of breakfast. Naturally, he was rather fond of eating and he hated to miss a meal in the day.

Soon, the smell of the food certainly started to get his appetite working and it certainly made him forget about the dull throb still present in his thigh. Dante chanced a glance at Nero, a dazed expression crossing his face when he realised the punk was making pancakes. He found himself wondering if the other man realised that pancakes were his favourite breakfast food, or whether it was just coincidence. Either way, he felt like Nero was trying his best to impress him. The elder smirked, starting to think that perhaps it was the kid's demon side trying to impress him without his knowledge. If that was the case, then things could become interesting in the future; the inner devil never lied.

Dante's smirk deepened as he attempted to test his theory. "Is that pancakes I smell?" he asked.

Nero glanced back at him over his shoulder. "Yeah," he replied, shortly.

"Aw kid, how did you know I love pancakes in the morning?"

"I didn't..." the teen blushed cutely. "I like them, that's all."

"Well I'm impressed with how well our tastes seem to coincide."

The elder grinned and turned around to settle back in his chair, hoping that his little comments stirred something in Nero's demonic half. Perhaps he'd been going about the idea of trying to attract the kid in all the wrong ways. Due to the upbringing he suffered at the hands of the religious Fortunians, his human side was probably shy and maybe a little prudish. His devil side on the other hand, should be almost the exact opposite and if it picked up on the elder's advances, it might try to respond. Just so long as he didn't go overboard and offend the young punk, playing to his part demonic nature might be a better method.

"There you go," Nero's voice cut into his train of thought as the younger man placed a plate of pancakes in front of him. "Let me guess, these are going to get drowned just like your chips?"

Dante laughed. "Still questioning my eating habits, eh?"

"You're choice, but if we ever get a shortage of ketchup and maple syrup, don't come crying to me when you have none left."

The elder snickered. "Like that'll ever happen."

Nero sat down opposite him and swiped the bottle of syrup first to apply a generous amount to his pancakes. Dante watched carefully as the sweet, viscous substance oozed onto his plate and he wondered why such a normal action made him feel hot. Most of the men he'd had in the past made him pancakes in the morning and he'd _never_ had this reaction before. In the end, as he accepted the bottle from the other man, he decide to put the blame on his devil side and the fact that the kid was only wearing a pair of thin, blue pyjama bottoms.

Nero rolled his eyes as he watched the elder drown his pancakes in the sweet syrup, but his devil side seemed more preoccupied with the action rather than the ridiculous quantity. He heard it purring in the back of his head, only managing to silence it as he concentrated on his own breakfast. _Damn it Dante_. Dante smirked as he watched the kid hastily start eating his pancakes, knowing that he was having an effect on him. In the past, his devil side had been good at picking out which man to take home after a night out, but it was spot on with Nero. However, he had to remind himself that just because the girl he saved during the Saviour incident was no longer his love interest, didn't mean that he was gay. There was always a kick in the teeth somewhere. _Damn it kid_.

Before either hunter could finish eating their pancakes, a faint knock vaguely sounded in the direction of the front door. Nero turned round in his chair, staring at the dark wood as if hoping the sound wouldn't occur again. Unfortunately, the same faint rapping was heard again and he sighed as he got to his feet.

"Could you get that while I put a shirt on, Dante?" he asked.

"Sure thing kid," Dante mumbled through a mouthful of pancake.

He smirked as he heard the kid snicker at him, getting to his feet and wandering over to the door. He hoped it was something good, otherwise he'd be rather annoyed at being interrupted from what was probably the best breakfast he'd had in a long time. Sighing, he unlocked the door and pulled the squeaky wood open, trying his best not to curse when he saw who was standing on the other side.

"Oh..." the small redheaded girl said, a shocked expression on her face. "So Nero does have a visitor. You... you're Dante, aren't you?"

"Yeah," Dante folded his arms. "You're the girl Nero saved... err..."

"Kyrie."

"That's it, yeah. So, what do you want?"

The girl shrunk back a little from his tone. "I... is Nero in?"

"Dante!" the kid shouted to him. "Who is it?"

The elder grimaced, hoping that he could have shooed Kyrie away before Nero found out it was her. "It's your friend Kyrie."

There was a pause. "Let her in."

The red clad hunter silenced his inner demon as it growled possessively, opening the door wider to allow Kyrie inside Nero's flat. Dante shut the door, frowning at the wood slightly as he wondered what had gotten into him lately; his devil side had been acting strangely ever since the fight with the Blitz. Sure, he was jealous of the girl and he certainly felt for Nero, but he was beginning to take it to a whole new level, almost like an obsession. Did he want the punk as his mate that badly?

"Kyrie..." Nero's voice broke him out of his thoughts. "How are you?"

"We need to talk Nero," Kyrie said, not answering his question.

The teen almost seemed to flinch. "Look, I finished my patrol yesterday, nothing..."

"It's not about that. It's about an incident you were involved in last night."

"What do you..." but then he remembered. "Oh, _that_."

"One of the Order members involved was a Captain and he claimed this morning that, while he and a few of his men were enjoying a peaceful night, they were attacked by you and the man who came here and killed His Holiness."

"Sure, as if it happened like that," Dante interrupted.

Kyrie glanced back at him, but ignored his statement. "He's furious Nero."

"Why is that my problem?" Nero shrugged. "He was the one who provoked it."

"They're calling for you to be exiled."

"Oh, so he's happy to sign the death warrants of every civilian in this city?"

"No, that's not what he's saying," Kyrie looked nervous, trying her best not to make eye contact with the younger part devil.

"Then what, Kyrie? Just tell me."

"He... he's saying that you obviously called in Dante so you could take over the Order..." the girl looked as though she was about to cry. "He's saying that you want to control Fortuna and bring destruction again; that all the demon attacks have been the run up to this."

"These people really spout a loud of bullshit, don't they?" Dante growled.

Nero sighed. "What can I say in my defence, hmm? It doesn't matter how many times I tell you, or anyone, no one will believe me. I mean, if they believe I was behind the incidents surrounding the Saviour, then they won't believe it when I say that I've got no intention of taking over the Order. All I do is kill demons to protect the people, nothing more."

"That and Nero was the victim of the Saviour," Dante added. "Just like he's now become the victim of abuse from the likes of you."

"Dante, please..."

"What would you know about any of this?" Kyrie asked the elder, her fists clenched by her sides. "Before you showed up, everything here was quiet and peaceful! So is it really any surprise that when the Order see you here they get suspicious?"

"Do you seriously want to know what would have happened if I hadn't showed up; if Nero hadn't worked so hard to save the unworthy asses of you and your people?" Dante shouted, his glare at the small girl intensifying. "Did you want to live in a place overrun with demons? That's what would have happened if things continued; your so-called holy Order was full of power craving bastards that were obsessed with demonic power. Your own brother was a victim to that."

A tear rolled down Kyrie's cheek. "Credo was a good man!"

"In the end he was, but you didn't see what he became."

"I never had the chance because he was killed by Nero!"

She gasped and covered her mouth with a hand, tears now trickling down her cheeks. Dante lowered his head and shot a glance at Nero, who was standing staring at her with a blank expression on his face. He saw the kid's devil arm glowing a sharp neon-aqua colour, indicating that he was holding back on his anger. Things couldn't get any worse for him.

"Nero... I.. I..." Kyrie began. "Please..."

"Just say it Kyrie," Nero replied, his voice shaky. "Go on, tell me how you really feel."

"Nero..."

"Tell me! You've already told me you think I killed Credo, so why don't you carry on? Tell me how much you hate me! Tell me how much you wish I was never adopted into your family!"

Kyrie shrank back noticeably, frightened by the angry tone of his voice and the bright glow from his Devil Arm. "They were right..." she whispered. "You... you really are nothing but a demon. I... I tried not to believe the rumours but... you really are responsible for all of this, aren't you?"

Nero clenched his blue talons. "Guess I am."

Still dressed in his blue pyjama bottoms and a thin black t-shirt, Nero strode passed Kyrie and reached for the door, throwing it wide open.

"Hey kid!" Dante shouted after him. "Kid... Nero!"

But the young hunter was already gone, the sound of the door at the bottom of the flat block slamming loudly. Dante sighed as Kyrie broke into light sobs, tears streaming down from her big brown eyes. He turned his head to look at her, unable to imagine what possessed the kid to want to look out for a pathetic little bitch like her. _She's enough of a demon to kill her for, right?_ Dante wanted to agree with his inner demon, but he knew Nero wouldn't forgive him if he did.

"He really cared for you, you know," he told her.

Kyrie glanced at him, but chose to say nothing.

"How does it feel to hurt someone who would have done anything to save you?" Dante pressed on, wanting to break her there and then. Nothing would give him greater pleasure. "When you were trapped in the Saviour, that kid risked his own life to go after you and all you do in return is turn on him. Does that make you happy?"

Her lip started to tremble. "That..."

"You know, sometimes I wonder why I often think that humans are no worse than demons. Then, every once in a while, I meet a human like you and I realise that there are demons out there who are better than humans."

"You make it sound like you're not human."

Dante chuckled, darkly. "You'll be half right."

Kyrie's frightened expression soon returned. "Then you..."

"Oh don't cry for hell's sake, you look pathetic! As if I'd kill you; you're not worth the effort."

Her eyes widened. "How... how dare..."

"I do dare, girl. Now get out of my sight before I do something I'll regret."

"Then will you take Nero away with you?" asked the redhead. "The Order might try to kill him."

"Don't even pretend you care about Nero. You think he killed your brother and now you think he's trying to destroy Fortuna," he shook his head, keeping his anger at bay. "He saved your life and you betray him. Now you stand here pretending that you care about whether he lives or dies. No Kyrie. _I_ care about Nero. _I_ do."

"Then get out of here! Get out of here and take all those demons with you!"

She ran from the room, Dante continuing to yell after her. "Do you think they'll leave you once we've gone? Nero is the only lifeline this place has and all of you are willing to throw him away! You'll see how wrong you are. I'll give you a week without him and you'll beg to have him back! But you'll be out of luck because I won't give him back to you!"

Even though Kyrie had left the building a long time ago, Dante didn't care as he finished what he wanted to say. He wished every Fortunian could have heard what he said, it would have felt more satisfying than watching a silly little girl flee like a frightened lamb. Though his demon side had taken a lot of enjoyment out of seeing Kyrie run away in tears, thus removing one obstacle in between him and the man of his dreams. Sighing when he realised that was quite correct, Dante collected his twin guns from by the blue sofa, holstered them, and left the small flat.

The weather outside was somewhat different from yesterday; it was bright and sunny with little cloud cover and a slight breeze which added a chill to the air. With no hint of a shower and no strong wings, tracking the younger hunter down would be easy. As he turned a corner, Dante picked up on the faint scent of Nero, which was an odd sweet and flowery mixture. He followed the trail of the younger man's scent, noticing quickly that the stronger it became, the further he'd travel out of the city. Eventually, the breeze picked up and he ended up at the docks, the smell of the sea feeling somewhat refreshing compared with the stuffy air of Fortuna. Dante's eyes fell on the distant form of Nero, who was leaning against the metal railings and staring out across the sea. Smiling softly, the elder hunter walked across the concrete to approach the kid, leaning on the railings just behind him.

"I know a place out across that sea," he began, his smile still present as the younger hunter turned to look at him. "There's a city out there, not the cleanest of places, but it has a shop there. It's called Devil May Cry, I think you might like it."

Dante felt his voice catch at the end of that sentence as he saw the sad look in the kid's eyes. More than anything he wanted to hold him right now, not just to feel his warm body so close, but to comfort him and show him there was someone who cared. But he held back, simply sighing and walking closer to him.

"You need to get out of here kid," he told him sincerely.

Nero smiled, allowing a single tear to escape but he didn't say a word.

"This place is going to kill you; if not the boredom, then the Order."

"I'll go anywhere so long as it's with you," the younger hunter whispered.

Dante didn't know how to respond to that, so instead he held his arms open to invite Nero in. The kid walked over to him and leaned against him, closing his eyes as he buried his face into the elder's chest and snuggled into his warmth. Dante wrapped his arms around Nero's smaller frame, having to smirk to himself at how easy it had been to convince him to leave in the end. But aside from trying to attract the younger man, he also wanted to make a difference to his life. If he stayed in Fortuna, he would just be hated until eventually, he'd be cast out or worse, hunted. Though the Devil May Cry office wasn't as clean as Nero's flat and the town was mostly a sleazy dump, at least the kid wouldn't have to worry about religious fanatics wanting him dead. Dante tightened his grip on the teen, swearing on his life that he would _never_ toss Nero away, not for anything.

"Err... D-Dante..." Nero's muffled voice reached his ears.

"Yeah kid?" he asked.

"You're c-crushing... me..."

Dante laughed. "Heh, sorry 'bout that."

He released the younger man from his embrace, making a mental note of how cute he looked when flustered. He smiled and ruffled his soft white hair, feeling warm inside as he smiled back.

"I guess this is it then," Nero stated. "I'm moving in with you."

"Great, because my place is a mess and I need a good cleaner," Dante replied with a grin, managing to move out of the way when Nero attempted to sock him with his Devil Bringer. "Just kidding, but I certainly need good company."

Nero glared at him. "I'll set this straight for you old man, I'm not going to clean up your mess!"

"I won't ask you to do that, but I would like it if you cooked for me every now and then."

The teen rolled his eyes. "Yeah okay, I'll do that much, but nothing else!"

"Okay, then about missions, because we have to take those to earn a bit of cash; I don't want you over..."

"I'll do as many missions as you, Dante. Remember, I have no intention on losing to you!"

The elder chuckled. "All I'm saying is that you don't have to prove yourself by overworking."

"Alright, but no cheating and taking missions when I'm not looking."

Dante folded his arms across his chest. "I was gonna say the exact same thing to you."

"Glad we can agree," Nero smirked at him. "It's a deal then."

"Good, then let's get you all packed and ready to go! I'm not wasting any more time in this religious dump."

Nero's smirk turned into a smile. "I think that's another thing we agree on, old man."

"Before we go, I need to ask you something because it's been bothering me."

"Oh?"

"That girl, Kyrie. How much did you love her?"

The teen looked a little taken aback by that question. "A lot. I mean, we grew up together."

Dante sighed. "I'm sorry it had to end like that for ya. Losing a girlfriend is hard, but..."

"Girlfriend? Whoa, you've got that all wrong! I was adopted into her family so she's always been like a sister to me. I never actually had a real family, so Kyrie and Credo were all I had. I loved her as a sister, nothing more."

The elder hunter almost blushed. "Sorry... I... err... somewhat misread that..."

Nero laughed. "Don't worry about it. So, anyone I should know about when I move in?"

"Aside from my two money grabbers, no one. Unless a jealous ex shows up, of course."

The kid blushed when Dante winked at him. "I'd rather not have a bitch girl on my back, thanks."

The elder raised an eyebrow at that, but it went unnoticed when Nero walked passed him in the direction of the city. _Incredible, the kid actually thinks I'm straight_. Trying to fathom why that was the case, the man in red jogged after the younger hunter until he caught up with him. Things could get really interesting.

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_I wonder what's really up with Dante's devil side? Mysteries... next chapter on it's way, stay tuned my lovelies!_


	6. Home is Where the Heart is

_Wow, all of your reviews were awesome; guess bashing Kyrie went down really well! Cookies for everyone!_

_**VioletIsInPain:** Thanks for reviewing! Yup, Nero is completely clueless, his demon side always talks sense! And Dante was very controlling, glad you liked that part! XD_

_**SirenaLoreley: **Thank you reviewing and I'm glad you enjoyed the Kyrie bashing part... you'll also be pleased with what happens regarding that later! ^^_

_**Littleliesdonthurt: **Thank you for the review and for enjoying perverted Dante! (there will be more)_

_**Furesesse1: **Thanks for reviewing! Glad you enjoyed Kyrie getting talked to be Dante XD_

_**Krupse12: **Thanks for the review and yeah, Nero would have been made for refusing Dante's offer!_

_**BattleGoddess126: **Thanks for reviewing! Haha I think Dante will be taking very good care of Nero from now on! XD – the kid is still so clueless though_

_**Bitbyboth: **Thank you for the review! I think Dante will correct the kid soon, he just needs more playtime first! XD – and as for Dante acting protective, you'll find out soon!_

_**Kendecia: **Thanks for the review and I apologise for leaving a cliffhanger, they really are evil, but they must be done! Glad you're enjoying it so far, but expect more cliffhangers! XD_

_Now onto the next chapter with a very fluffy Nero! XD  
_

* * *

**Chapter 6 – Home is Where the Heart is**

On the way back to Nero's apartment, Dante noticed a definite sense of hostility amongst the civilians they encountered. With the help of that Order Captain he messed up the previous night and possibly a certain sobbing redhead, news had spread of what the kid had been accused of. However, unlike yesterday, Nero walked along the busy streets with a certain air of confidence; he was leaving this place behind and never coming back. Though he was still upset after having lost his sister to the opinions of the Order, he would never look back on leaving. He had a new life ahead of him and a new home to go to, but more than anything, he had someone who cared about him.

Once back inside the small flat, Nero made quick work of packing his belongings. He managed to squeeze all of his clothes into a small holdall, which Dante said he'd be able to fit onto the back of his bike along with the younger hunter. The elder seated Rebellion on his back so he was ready to leave as soon as possible, not wanting to spend any time longer than necessary in Fortuna. He watched as Nero zipped up the leather bag and then wandered into the bathroom and out into the kitchen again, fussing over the fact he'd be leaving some things behind.

"Don't worry kid, I have all of this in the office," Dante assured him. "Just bring your clothes."

Nero still looked flustered. "But I still have food and kitchen stuff and..."

"Nero! Let's get out of here; I have food and a bit of kitchen hardware!"

The teen sighed and turned to stare at the older man. "But, this stuff was pretty decent..."

"Look, I didn't bring my car because it's being serviced right now; I can't fit a load of pots and pans on the back of my bike! If you don't like the stuff I've got at home, you're perfectly welcome to go out and buy some new stuff."

"Alright," Nero grumbled. "Let's got then."

"Good, because if we don't get out soon, I have a nasty feeling the locals will be banging on your door with torches and pitchforks!"

"Not funny, old man."

"Hey, I was being deadly serious!"

The teen snorted, but was quick to holster Blue Rose, slip Red Queen onto his back and shoulder his holdall. Dante opened the wooden front door and allowed Nero to walk out ahead of him before shutting it and leaving the apartment building behind. The two devil hunters made their way back through the streets to the docks, trying to ignore the groups of Fortunians that were following them, wearing sharp glares on their faces, thankfully without torches and pitchforks. Order members mixed in with the crowd too and once they arrived at the sea front, Nero also caught sight of Kyrie, who was trying to hide behind the same Captain that Dante had dealt with.

"Look, he's finally leaving!" a man shouted.

"We're saved!" a woman responded. "No more demons!"

Dante turned to glare at them, shoving Nero behind him protectively. "One week!" he shouted. "I'll give you one week and you'll see what a mistake you bastards have made!"

"Just take him and be gone!" the Order Captain shouted back.

"It'll be my pleasure, because Nero's _mine_ now."

Dante deliberately looked at Kyrie when he said that, smirking as he saw her look away and refuse to make eye contact. Behind him, Nero blushed furiously at what the elder said about him, but he couldn't help but feel happy with the thought of belonging to him. No one had ever been so protective about him and it made him feel warm inside. He was brought out of thought as Dante turned around to smile at him, resting a hand on his shoulder and giving him a gentle shove in the direction of the waiting ferry. Smiling back, Nero faced away from him and began walking, determined not to look back at the Fortunians on his way.

"That's it, get out of here!" another Order member shouted.

The Captain laughed. "Yes, take your mate away from us, demon!"

Dante flipped him off without looking back, but was unable to hide the smirk that curled to his lips when the Captain referred to Nero as being his mate. He looked down at Nero as they boarded the ferry, his smirk turning into a smile when he saw the look of satisfaction on his handsome face. It looked like the kid had finally accepted himself and he no longer cared for the shallow words of shallow people. He still imagined it would take him longer than this to get over it completely, but at least it was a start.

"Well done kid," he told him. "Now we can go home."

"Yeah," Nero smiled back at the elder. "And stop calling me kid."

Dante laughed and ruffled his hair. "Whatever, punk bitch."

"Great, how many more names have you given me?"

"As many as you want, babe."

Nero glared at him. "Call me that again and I won't miss your crotch this time!"

The elder chuckled. "Now that would be unfair on you, seeing as you are my mate."

The teen glared harder, but it just ended up looking like an adorable pout as his face flushed a bright pink. Dante laughed again, shaking his head and walking around the side of the boat as it slowly departed from the port. He leaned against the metal railing, enjoying the fresh feeling of the spray against his unshaven face. He glanced over to his right as Nero joined him, the teen's eyes focussed out to see so he couldn't look back and see Fortuna disappearing. _So brave and determined; more qualities I admire in a man._

"You still okay with this?" he asked.

Nero looked at him. "Yeah, why wouldn't I be?"

"Well, I'm probably not the easiest person to live with."

"I'm sure it'll be fine, old man. You're a pain in the ass, but you're not out to kill me."

"You should know that I'm in debt to one of those money grabbers I mentioned before, so sometimes I may not be in the best position financially. I must also warn you that they show up at the office every now and then to annoy me, so they'll probably wind you up. Oh and another note, the blonde girl named Trish, you actually know her as Gloria, but don't call her that."

"Oh right... dare I ask why?"

"Well, the last time I tried to call her that, I took a few bullets."

Nero raised an eyebrow. "You make a good target or something?"

"That's one of the disadvantages of being half demon, people who know me realise they can shoot me without causing any serious damage. Lady and Trish seem to enjoy seeing me in pain, they must get off on it or something."

"Can't blame them," the teen smirked. "Who wouldn't?"

"Do you want to sleep in the shed?"

"Is that anyway to talk to someone you rescued from a meaningless existence?"

_Damn, he's got me..._ "Shut up, kid."

Smirking at managing to tease the elder for a change, Nero leaned back against the railing and stared out to sea as he waited to see the first signs of land. As he thought about it, if he knew he would be living with Dante back when they first met, he would likely have shot himself. At first he wanted to kill the guy but now, he was moving in with him. He sighed lightly, hoping that the feelings he kept hidden from the elder didn't make things awkward between them. He'd just escaped a place where everyone was disgusted with him for having a demonic arm, he didn't want to then have Dante being disgusted with him for being gay. That would be worse than Fortuna.

Within about ten minutes, the small ferry pulled into the harbour, allowing the two hunters to depart. Nero looked around the small port, smiling at the refreshing change of scenery; he had never been off the island before. The sky was clear like it had been at Fortuna, except here it seemed a little cooler and somewhat fresher. There were a few shops on the other side of the road from the port, along with a small diner that looked a little run down.

"We'd better grab something to eat," Dante explained. "It's a good few hours to home from here and I don't particularly want to stop along the way. The sooner we get back to the office the better, I'm done with this trip."

"Do you think that place is okay?" asked Nero.

"Sure, I ate there before going across to Fortuna."

The teen eyed the small diner suspiciously as they walked towards it and crossed the road. While he was happy to be away from his former home, he still didn't know much about the outside world. The Fortunians liked to be isolated from others and, unfortunately, it was something Nero didn't have a choice in when he was growing up. He walked slightly closer to Dante as they entered the place, but his anxiousness was soon dissolved by the wonderful smell of food.

"Not bad, huh?" asked Dante with a smirk.

"That smells pretty good," Nero agreed.

"Well, I don't have much cash on me, so it's going to have to be chips."

"You're pretty cheap, aren't you?"

"Hey, if you're gonna complain, go and complain to Lady! It's her fault I'm flat broke at the moment."

"Maybe if you didn't get into debt in the first place, you'd be financially secure!"

"Heh, around Lady, there's no such thing as financially secure."

"Alright, because you've been nice enough to offer me a place to stay, I'll pay for you _this time only_. But don't expect this to happen every time you're broke, okay?"

"Deal."

With thanks to Nero, the two were able to enjoy a decent sized lunch before they left the diner to find Dante's bike. The kid couldn't help but blush as the leather clad half demon strolled over to the red bike, knowing that he'd be perched on the back wrapped around the other man. He growled to himself as he caught his devil side purring again, hoping that it wouldn't continue to do this at every opportunity when he started his new life at Devil May Cry.

"Come on kid, we've not got all day!" the elder called to him.

Sighing deeply, Nero wandered over to the bike, managing to hide his blush as Dante straddled it and removed Rebellion from his back.

"You're going to have to take this for me," he told him, offering him the sword.

Nero dropped his holdall for a moment as he strapped Rebellion to his back alongside Red Queen, shouldering his bag again once both swords were in place. He glanced back at Dante, who smirked devilishly and gently patted the small leather seat behind him.

"This time only, old man," Nero grumbled.

"Sorry kid, but you ain't riding my baby," Dante replied. _But you can ride me any day._

The man in red smirked again as the younger hunter straddled the bike behind him, his arms tentatively wrapping around his waist. He felt a shiver run along his spine as the teen's thighs comfortably squeezed him, his devil side almost purring loud enough that it was likely Nero could hear it. He shook his head to ignore it, starting his bike and driving off quickly with a screech of his tires, earning a few raised heads here and there. Fortunately, the refreshing breeze that hit him as they sped down the streets was enough to distract him from the warmth of another body wrapped around him from behind. Dante sighed lightly, relieved at the distraction as he might end up pouncing on the younger hunter at the rate his devil side was forcing him.

About an hour into the journey, it began to rain and the initial drizzle turned quickly into a heavy downpour. Well, if anything, it meant that it had probably stopped raining at the Devil May Cry office, but it would make for an unpleasant journey. Nero shivered as the ice cold rain brushed past him, but he knew it must have been worse for Dante. The older male's body in front of him felt so warm and he instinctively cuddled closer to him, allowing himself the luxury for the simple excuse that he was cold and wet. Dante smirked as he felt the younger man hold onto him tighter, inching closer to him until their bodies were pressed tightly together. The feeling was welcome as his warmth slowly drained into him through his leather coat, partially negating the coldness of the heavy rain hammering into him. The heat started to travel to his groin and he shifted slightly, groaning under his breath as his trousers felt a little bit too tight.

As the rain became heavier, if possible, Dante was forced to slow down as the rain drops felt like needles against his face. That would add a bit of time to their journey, but he'd rather not arrive back home with his face red raw and stinging. It took another hour before the rain finally eased off, the icy wind doing anything other than drying off the two devil hunters. Dante felt Nero shiver behind him and grasp onto him even tighter. Not that it did him any good, as his soaked clothes were practically freezing in the headwind. The sooner they got back to the office the better and a little bit of cold wasn't going to stop the elder from increasing his speed again. It would be cold for another hour, but it was better than being a little less cold and wet for an extra hour longer when they could change into something warmer. Sadly, the heating back at the office was a little dodgy, but it only forced Dante to conjure up an image of himself cuddling Nero on his black leather sofa.

After another hour of cold headwinds and private fantasies, Dante finally pulled up outside of the Devil May Cry office. Nero raised his head that had been buried between the elder's shoulder blades, glancing at the flickering neon sign spelling out the name of the business. In all honesty, the place looked like a dump, but somehow, he couldn't help but want to already call it home. Anywhere with Dante felt like home. He smiled slightly, sliding off the bike and groaning as he felt the weight of his sodden denim coat. He glanced down at his holdall, grimacing as he realised the leather was too cracked to keep it water proof and the rain had soaked into the lining.

"Do you have a dryer?" he grumbled, watching as the elder dismounted.

"Yeah, in the basement," Dante replied, running a hand through his silvery hair. "I'll get the heating on too, I don't usually bother by myself because it costs too much, but now I've got a guest, I'd better make the effort."

"You'd better. I'm not freezing my ass off because you're a cheapskate."

The elder chucked and walked by the teen, unlocking the two heavy doors to the office and pushing them wide open. Nero ducked under one of his arms and dashed inside, leaving puddles of water behind him as he went. Dante couldn't help but laugh at his enthusiasm as he shut the doors, keeping out the cold wind that was rattling the window panes. He shrugged his red leather coat off his shoulders and hung it on the coat stand, glad to have the weight off his shoulders. He was fortunate wearing leather, as it would dry quickly and it didn't let the water in; Nero however, did not have that luxury. Well, at least his feet would be dry.

"Here, I'll hang your coat up," Dante offered as the other man deposited his holdall and both swords onto the wooden floor.

He accepted the soaked denim from the teen, noticing that even the red lining was sodden with cold water. After hanging it up, he turned to see Nero rummaging through the contents of his holdall, shaking his head and cursing.

"The water went straight through it!" he grumbled. "Crap old piece of junk."

"I'll put it all in the dryer downstairs in a bit," Dante replied, wandering over to him. "I'll get you something dry to change into first. I have a spare room you can use; Trish used to live here, but she moved in with Lady after the Fortuna mission, so it's empty now. Don't worry, it doesn't smell of woman anymore so you won't embarrass yourself!"

Nero rolled his eyes skyward and trudged up the stairs after Dante, his drenched jeans rubbing against his damp skin and feeling rather painful. The elder opened the closest door along the corridor, standing aside to let the younger walk into the room. It was about the same size as his bedroom had been in Fortuna, but it felt a little a bit cosier despite the cooler room temperature. He unzipped his red hooded jacket and peeled it off his body, staring with disgust at his navy undershirt that now clung to him like a second skin. Behind him, Dante watched with fascination, his eyes trailing down along the kid's strong back to his buttocks, where there was a slight dry patch in the blue denim.

He smirked wickedly, licking his lips as he left the spare room and walked down the short hallway to his bedroom at the end. He unfastened the belts across his shirt and undid the zip, removing the black leather from his hard body and draping it over one of the bedposts to let it dry. He opened the bottom drawer of his dresser, wondering what best to give Nero as temporary clothing while his stuff dried off. He dazed off as he imagined the punk dressed in one of his old red leather coats and only a pair of his old leather trousers; he hadn't worn that stuff in ten years, not since he was Nero's age. Shaking his head out of that fantasy, Dante eventually produced a pair of tight red jeans, a navy blue zip up fleece with a high collar and a pair of black boxers. He walked back down the corridor to the spare room, managing not to drool at the sight of a shirtless Nero, his white hair leaving droplets of water on his strong shoulders.

"Here, it should all fit ya," Dante told him, placing the pile of clothes on the single bed. "Though I imagine there'll be plenty of room, you're not as well built as me!"

Nero tried to think of a clever remark to shoot back at the elder slayer, but nothing came to mind so he just decided to thank him instead. He was left alone to change into Dante's old clothes, which was thankful as Nero hadn't expected the other man to walk in minus a shirt. _Such a fine body, so tight and muscular... he's a worthy mate_. The teen blushed at his devil side's remark, knowing that he fully agreed with it. Sighing, he unfastened his jeans and inched them off over his hips, grumbling at the unpleasant feel of wet denim. He kicked them off, followed swiftly by his damp black hipster shorts and he soon found himself shivering from the cold air against damp skin.

"Damn it Dante," he muttered. "You'd better put the heating on."

Fortunately, the clothes Dante had given him felt perfectly warm against his slowly drying skin and it felt so comfortable. He closed his eyes and hugged himself, breathing in the scent of the elder man that was soaked into the blue fleece. It was faint, but it was enough to indulge in; a blissful mix of gunpowder, cedar wood, a hint of strawberries and some spicy aromas he couldn't identify. It certainly stirred up a few feelings within, but he ignored them in favour of picking up his wet clothes and making his way downstairs.

He looked around, unable to find Dante until he heard some clattering in the direction of a door next to the corner bar. Noticing that his holdall was also missing, Nero followed the noise and ended up in the small kitchen, which was, quite frankly, a complete and utter mess like the rest of the place. A door at the far end was open, leading to a pair of stairs that led down into the basement. The room was cramped and incredibly dusty, certainly looking as though it was barely used. Aside from a washing machine and dryer, the only other things down here were a few stacked boxes, a fuse box, power meters and heating controls.

"You okay kid?" asked Dante, who was kneeling down in front of the dryer.

"I've got more stuff for you," Nero replied, handing it over.

The elder took Nero's clothes and shoved them into the machine. "I hope this works, I don't usually put this much stuff in it."

"Do you ever actually use it at all?"

"Hey, I happen to value personal hygiene, even if the office is a mess."

"You really are a lazy ass, aren't you?"

"Perhaps I have dust allergies."

"Tch, whatever."

Dante chuckled, getting to his feet once he shut the door of the dryer and started its cycle. Nero blushed lightly as he observed how the elder was dressed, not used to seeing him wearing anything other than his black and red leather combinations. He wore a thick, warm looking black hoodie and a pair of fairly tight black jeans which had several rips in them, a few on his upper thighs and one on his left knee.

"So, err..." Nero began, trying to distract himself. "Anything planned?"

"Nah, I was thinking pizza and TV," Dante replied. "I unhooked the phone before I left to come and get ya, so no missions until tomorrow."

The two devil hunters went back upstairs, Nero settling down on the black leather sofa to flick through the television channels while Dante phoned in for pizza. Unexpectedly, the first channel the TV switched onto was something he did not expect, a deep blush flushing his cheeks as he watched a pair of naked, muscular men making out furiously. He switched channels quickly, finding a random action movie and trying to stop his face from burning. _Why does Dante watch gay channels?_ He glanced over to the elder, who had finished his phone call and left for the kitchen to get a few packs of beer. Nero shifted awkwardly, fighting off the urge to ask Dante about it and also changing the channel back to see what was going to happen next.

Fortunately, the elder didn't return to the main office room before the pizza arrived, so he had no chance to query the issue. In fact, once both men settled down to watch the movie, Nero had almost forgotten about it completely. Whilst eating pizza and making their way through a six pack of beer each, they engaged each other in pointless conversation, talking about nothing important with the exception of missions. The rest of the afternoon and the evening disappeared quickly and, for once, Nero could say without a shadow of a doubt that he had enjoyed himself. Everything just seemed so comfortable and natural with Dante; he didn't care about his devil arm, he just saw him as another man. No, perhaps it was even more than that. They were both half demons and they both had many things in common, more so than the younger male had ever realised. Even though he had loved Kyrie like a sister, and even Credo like a brother to some extent, he never had anyone he could consider a true friend. Dante seemed to fill that emptiness in his life, but he still found himself wishing for more.

Once night fell, Dante bade good night to Nero, who was almost disappointed the day had to end so soon. The teen sighed contentedly, snuggling under the white sheets and turning over to face the wall at the far end. He smiled, knowing that the elder man was just through the thin plasterboard, probably fast asleep already. The wind still whistled around outside and Nero shivered slightly, burying his face into the pillow as a cool draft wafted through his hair. However, even if it did get a little chilly every so often, the place still felt comforting and friendly. He smiled broadly, his eyes falling slowly shut as he drifted into a restful sleep. Even though the place desperately needed cleaning, Devil May Cry sure did feel like home.

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_Aww, Nero's all snuggly... but not with Dante... yet! New chapter coming soon!_


	7. Uneasiness in the Dark

_Another new chapter and back more into action this time, so a bit more progression! Good to read all your reviews as always, you're comments are fantastic!_

_**Littleliesdonthurt: **Thanks for reviewing! Who can blame Nero for cuddling up to Dante, eh?_

_**SirenaLoreley: **Thanks for the review! Nero certainly has a better home with Dante and he certainly needs to listen to his devil side more often! XD_

_**VioletIsInPain: **Thanks for reviewing, glad you're still enjoying it! Yup, little Nero is still as clueless forever, poor thing is so in love he can't see the obvious! XD_

_**Kruspe12: **Thanks for the review! I just had to have Dante in ripped jeans, the image is too tempting to pass up XD – and don't worry, the man love is on its way!_

_**Kendecia: **Thank you for reviewing and you have your wish, here is a new chapter! XD_

_**Bitbyboth: **Thanks for reviewing! Yeah, Fortuna was a horrible place for Nero and he'll be much happier now!_

_**Allmath: **Thank for the review! Always good to see the back of Fortuna and yes, Nero is a stupid boy! XD_

_**BattleGoddess126: **Thank you for reviewing and glad you enjoyed the fluff! And clueless Nero is definitely clueless! XD_

_Warnings for chapter: just Dante's dirty mind and some solo... tehe  
_

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**Chapter 7 – Uneasiness in the Dark**

Early morning sunlight poured in through the gap in Dante's red curtains, though it was not enough to rouse the devil hunter from sleep. He groaned lowly as he shifted under his red satin sheets, his cheeks flushed a little and a noticeable lump in the fabric around his crotch...

_Dante walked through a dense forest, the trees almost blocking out the warm sunlight above. He had no idea where he was or why he was here, but his devil side kept insisting he continued on down the leaf strewn path. Eventually, after an unknown amount of time, he heard the sound of rushing water. He picked up his pace, a familiar sweet scent wafting towards him from the clearing he approached. As the trees thinned out, he saw a small waterfall running down over a cliff edge that must have been no more than twenty feet. The water ran into a small hot spring, but that was presently the least of Dante's concerns._

_ What interested him the most were the scattered clothes around the rocks in front of the pool and the naked man bathing in its waters. Nero was standing there, waist deep in the warm water and with his back turned to the elder slayer. Dante's eyes widened and he took a few steps closer, the younger man sensing him and turning round to cast him a seductive stare. He indicated with a wave of his human hand to join him before lowering his gaze and turning away from him again. Dante swallowed the lump in his throat and hurriedly shed his clothes, stepping into the soothing water and wading over to the other man._

_ "Fuck kid," he murmured. "You'll be death of me."_

_ "Hmm..." Nero purred. "Why? Can't you handle a teenager?"_

_ Dante growled, placing both hands on the teen's shoulders. "Seriously, you're asking for it."_

_ "Yeah? Maybe I am, Dante."_

_ The elder closed his eyes at the low, sultry way the younger whispered his name. He pressed his body against Nero's back, the teen moaning pleasantly at the sensation. Dante lowered his head to lick and kiss his neck, his hands moving from his shoulders to caress his strong chest, each hand stopping to play with a nipple. Nero gasped, arching his back and bucking his hips against Dante's crotch. The older man titled his head back and moaned, his right hand travelling the length of the kid's upper torso before it slipped under the water to find his arousal. He gripped it tightly in his fist, pumping at a leisurely pace as Nero ground back against him._

_ Regaining his composure, Dante began kissing Nero's neck again, his left hand moving round to the back and stroking the kid's pallid skin. He was rewarded with a gasp when his hand reached the curve of his buttocks, his fingers sliding between the cheeks to find his entrance. He massaged him there for a moment, his other hand still squeezing Nero's hardened shaft._

_ "Dante..." Nero whispered. "Please..."_

_ The elder smirked against the kid's neck before biting down hard enough to leave a mark, one finger gently slipping past his tight ring of muscles. Nero groaned loudly, his hips instantly snapping back to buck against that single finger, silent asking for more. Dante moaned, already at his limit with barely enough foreplay to prepare the kid for what was to come. He moved to grip his hips with both hands, spinning him round in his arms and crushing their lips together. Nero moaned into the kiss, wrapping his arms about the elder's neck and pressing their bodies flush together._

_ With a contented sigh, Dante pulled back from the kiss and lowered himself down the length of the teen's body until he was kneeling on the bottom the pool, the water lapping against his shoulders. Nero smirked down at him seductively before squatting in his lap, raising his hips over the elder's straining erection. Growling, Dante gripped the kid's hips and pulled him down onto him, but instead of feeling the tight heat he desired, he felt himself drowning in the warm water..._

Dante was jerked awake by the unpleasant feeling, finding himself back in his bed at the Devil May Cry office, sadly with no Nero next to him. He raised his hands up to stare at them, still feeling the softness of his dream Nero's pale skin at his finger tips. He closed his eyes and rested his head back against the pillow, almost managing to smell the other male on his own skin. He'd had many sex dreams about the young punk, but nothing as elaborate as that. _Typical, I actually have a good one and that's when I decide to wake up_. He cracked open one icy blue eye and stared down the sheets, finding the large tent at his crotch. There was really no denying now how much he wanted Nero.

With a soft groan, Dante slid his right hand between the sheets and grasped his aching manhood, pumping it slowly as he thought about the other man. He bit his lip to muffle his moans; the walls were only thin plasterboard and he didn't want said other man to hear. His head jerked back into his pillow and his eyes snapped shut as he continued, his strokes becoming rougher. He imagined himself back in the hot spring, eyes locked with those of his partner as he fucked him aggressively. Nero's face was flushed red, his azure orbs half lidded with lust, his muscles flexing as he thrust his hips to meet the other man's and his moans loud with desire. It was driving him crazy, helping him towards the edge as he squeezed himself harder.

Biting his lip harder to stifle his moan of Nero's name, Dante came onto his hand and stomach, narrowly avoiding soiling his sheets. He lay there for a few seconds, breathing heavily and still in his blissful thoughts about the younger hunter. Though the more he thought about it, the lonelier he felt as he wished he could have him here, cuddled up to his side and recovering from a long, passionate session. He sat up slowly, taking a tissue from the box on top of his bedside table to wipe his hand clean of most his essence. He chuckled to himself, wondering just how many times he had done this same thing after masturbating to thoughts of Nero.

"Dante..." Nero's muffled voice filtered in outside his door. "Hey, Dante!"

Dante swallowed thickly. _Bad timing_. "Yeah kid?" he answered.

"You just got a call for a mission; apparently it's urgent."

Dante blinked, realising he missed the sound of the phone whilst lost in his fantasies. "Oh, so you decided to take my calls for me, eh? If you were going to be that generous, I'd have asked you to bring me breakfast in bed!"

He heard a growl and the sound of something, probably Nero's foot, slam against the door. "You lazy bastard! Get your ass out of bed old man, we have a mission! Who was it who told me that a certain someone is in debt and needs work?"

Dante groaned. "Alright kid, alright. Give me a minute."

He remained sitting up in his bed for a moment, listening until he heard Nero leave and walk back down the stairs. He jumped out of bed, flung the door open and dashed across the hallway into the bathroom, managing to lock the door without being caught. Not that he would care about the other man seeing him naked, but he'd rather not be faced with the awkward question regarding why he was in need of a shower. Within seconds, Dante made it downstairs fully dressed, walking straight past Nero without a word into the kitchen, opening the fridge door to see what he had in. He opened a fresh carton of orange juice and chugged down about half of it before taking out an old pizza box that had been there the day before he left for Fortuna. He peeked inside, relieved that it looked and smelt fine; both he and Nero had eaten the two whole pizzas they bought the previous day, so he was fortunate it was edible.

"How old is that, old man?" asked Nero as he wrinkled his nose with disgust.

"Few days maybe," Dante answered with a shrug, taking a bite out of his cold pizza.

"That's gross, you know."

"Well, I haven't actually got any other options, have I? There's no point going on a mission with an empty stomach, that's just asking for trouble."

Nero rolled his eyes. "I did knock on your door about an hour ago, but you didn't answer."

"It takes more than a knock at the door to wake me up, kid."

"No way am I going in your room, hell knows what you keep in there!"

Dante snorted. "Wanna share for a night and find out?"

"Fuck you, asshole."

_I believe that's 'fuck you', kid._ "I'd like to see you try."

Nero's face lit up like a Christmas tree. "Shut up," he muttered.

Dante smirked as Nero turned away from him, finishing off the last three slices of pizza as he watched him slip on his denim coat, holster Blue Rose and strap Red Queen to his back. It was good that he was eager to head out on his first mission, as it showed he was keen to settle down into his new life. The elder hunter smiled, tossing the empty pizza box onto the floor and fetching his red leather coat from the stand. He always hated having partners on missions, especially if they happened to be Lady or Trish, but Nero was different. Not only was he a decent demon hunter with developing skills to go with it, he was fantastic eye candy.

"When there are a lot of missions going around," Dante began to explain to the kid as he fetched his weapons. "It'll be better for us to take them separately, as it gets the job done quicker and we get more income. The more debt I can get rid of, the better off we'll both be."

"Sure, sounds okay to me," Nero replied.

"Good. So, what's this mission about then?"

"Here, I noted down the address for you," the teen handed him a piece of paper. "The woman said something is wrong in the block of flats she lives in. Apparently there's water leaking in from the flat above, but no one is in when she goes to knock on their door. The only think she could think of was to call here because it might be demons."

Dante sighed. "Yeah, sometimes we'll get calls like this."

"So no demons then?"

"I think the demon is most likely a kid playing some sort of prank, but there's no point in keeping them waiting, I'll get it in the ear from Trish if I do. What was she going to pay?"

"She said to agree on a price when we've finished."

The elder sighed again. "Which most likely means we'll get nothing."

"Then why bother taking missions like this in the first place?"

"Because nearly all of the people who call here and don't get an answer will call up Lady; she's in the same business too. If either she or Trish realise I've been slacking, they come round here and bug me until I take a mission, which is usually one of the rubbish ones they don't want to do. So like I said, I'll get it in the ear... or more important places."

Nero snickered. "You're a real sucker, aren't ya?"

"Whatever, kiddo. Let's get moving."

He crunched up the piece of paper with the address and tossed it aside, wandering over to the wooden doors and leaving the office. Nero followed behind him, but soon groaned when he remember the only form of transport they had was the red bike.

"Not again," he grumbled.

"Don't worry, I should get my car back today," Dante assured him, successfully managing to hide his disappointment.

"You'd better, I'm not riding bitch on your bike forever."

"If you want a bike, you're buying your own."

"Tch, then maybe I will."

Dante had to laugh at that remark, regardless to the fact that he'd rather have the kid ride behind him on every mission. Handing Nero his broadsword as he had done the previous day, he mounted his bike along with the younger hunter and took off in the direction of the flat block specified by the caller. Dante sighed, knowing that the mission would be pointless, especially as it had interrupted him from an hour or so of extra sleep. It was too good to be true, especially since he hadn't had a decent mission since the long spell of torrential rain.

The worst part of it was their arrival at the flat block; a fifteen storey building with the lift out of order and the woman's flat on the fourteenth floor. Dante grumbled under his breath, already wishing he was back in bed under his satin sheets, preferably with Nero in his arms. However, if there was one thing he couldn't do, it was turn back round and go home, as the kid needed to get a good feel of how things worked. Nero grimaced at how unpleasant the place looked; the walls were damp and the place stank of must, though it was barely enough to counteract the strong smell of alcohol from the man watching the security cameras. The stairwell was also just as cold and damp, Nero feeling a shiver run through him as they began their journey to the top floors.

"This woman had better be grateful," Dante grumbled.

"Aw, is a few stairs to much for you to handle, old man?" Nero teased.

"Is that an offer to carry me, kid?"

"Hell no!"

"Then shut up."

"Lazy ass."

"You should know that by now."

Once they reached the fourteenth floor, they found room number five and rang the bell, waiting for a response. Nero stood slightly behind Dante, his eyes trailing around the dank corridor and taking in his surroundings. His apartment had been quite miserable in Fortuna, but this certainly took the cake. At least his place hadn't been so run down. He felt a sudden chill shoot through him and his blue eyes flicked up to the ceiling above the flat room door. There was a small patch of damp there, but there seemed to be something else on the floor above, something familiar...

"Yes?" the sound of a woman's voice and the door opening jerked Nero out of his trance.

"You called us about a leak," Dante replied, not hiding his bitter tone.

"Oh, you're from the Devil May Cry office?"

"What's the problem?"

"Well..."

Nero followed Dante into the flat, not really paying attention to the young woman as she explained the problem. When she had talked to him on the phone, she seemed really concerned as though it were a big issue, but here and now, it only appeared to be a few patches of damp on the living room ceiling. The teen sighed lightly, glancing at an open phone book on the coffee table; it looked as though she had called around every odd job man in the city and clearly had no luck, hence the call to Devil May Cry. No wonder Dante got pissed off every so often.

He glanced around, hearing voices from the kitchen and realising he had separated from Dante in his distraction. He stepped back out into the narrow passageway, staring in through the door and seeing that the damp problem did indeed seem worse there. He watched the young woman talking to Dante, who looked bored half to death, but she certainly seemed to enjoy his company. Nero heard his devil side growl possessively, disliking the way she was flirting with the elder slayer, even if he wasn't showing any sign of interest.

"Damn it Dante," Nero grumbled.

He tried to ignore the woman, knowing that if either she or Dante asked him a question, he'd end up snapping at them unintentionally due to how irritated his devil side was becoming. However, he quickly found his eyes drawn back to the ceiling, searching the corners and seeing more spots of damp. Sighing, Nero left the flat without informing the elder part devil, heading to the stairwell and walking up to the top floor. If the room was empty, there was no harm in breaking in, especially if there might be a demon inside. Along with that, he desperately wanted to know what was distracting him.

Once outside the door to the flat in question, Nero's nose was instantly filled with the scent of demons; it seemed like two of them. He removed Blue Rose from its holster, looked around to make sure the corridor was empty and kicked the door in. He walked inside before the door could slam shut again, his foot squelching on a soaking wet carpet. He wrinkled his nose at it before taking another step inside, being careful to search for the demons. In fact, the scent was so strong up here that he was surprised he didn't pick it up outside. Perhaps the demons had simply made a home here and they didn't want to alert any other devils to their presence.

The flat was dark from the drawn curtains and there was no furniture to speak of in any of the rooms. He glanced into the bathroom, finding where all the water had come from; the bath and sink were overflowing, as was the sink in the kitchen. Nero wandered into the living room cautiously, holding his revolver out ahead of him and flexing the claws of his Devil Bringer, the azure glow adding extra light to the room. The blue light cast shadows along the walls, the patterns constantly changing each time the teen moved. It was somewhat unnerving. However, he was soon distracted as he saw something flash passed the corner of his eye.

He spun round to see what it was, spying a metallic fin with bright blue markings swimming around in the sodden carpet. Nero cursed, quickly trying to keep that one in his sights as he looked around for any more. He remembered meeting these things in Agnus's laboratory and he hadn't seen them during the two months after the Saviour incident. It seemed like the remaining Cutlasses had left Fortuna behind and bred.

"Damn it," Nero uttered. "I hate these bastards."

As if that was a cue for it to try and attack, the Cutlass did a full turn and shot towards him, the younger hunter stepping out of its way. Nero cursed again, glaring at the confined space of the flat and knowing using Red Queen was out of the question. He followed the Cutlass as it swam away from him, working its way around the corners of the room. He took aim with Blue Rose and fired a few shots at it, the blue marking on its fin gradually changing into a vibrant red. However, without warning, a second devil leapt out of the floor in front of him, catching him off guard and slicing a deep gash along his front. Nero staggered back slightly, ignoring the blood soaking into his hoodie while the injury slowly began to heal. At least it seemed like there were only two.

Although it hurt, Nero reached out with his Devil Bringer to grab the airborne Cutlass before it could disappear again. He swung it around by its bladed tail, keeping his eyes on the other demon before hurling its partner at it. Both Cutlasses collided and they lay motionless on the wet carpet. Nero fired a few rounds from Blue Rose at them, managing to kill the one he tossed but the other disappeared into the carpet. He looked around again, his devil arm glowing brighter with anticipation as he kept Blue Rose poised for an attack. Soon, the Cutlass's metallic fin appeared again and it made a quick dash for the open door, attempting to escape the small room.

"No you don't," Nero growled.

He fired several shots with his revolver as he ran towards it, reaching out with his Devil Bringer to grab it, but missing as it dived into the carpet and vanished again. Nero slowed to a stop, keeping his eyes on the floor until he spotted a red glow and several ripples by his feet. He stepped back before the Cutlass could reach him, instantly grabbing hold of it with his glowing blue talons. He slammed it's metallic body into the ground and shot it twice, making sure it was dead before it's body disintegrated in front of him.

Sighing, Nero turned round to look back into the living room, double checking that there were only two of them. Thankfully, their demonic scent was slowly dissipating into the damp smell of the flat and there was no further movement. He went to turn off all the taps and leave, but he suddenly found himself routed to the spot, his nervous system feeling as though it had turned to ice. He stared around the room, his eyes flicking between all the shadows that were climbing the walls and streaking across the floor and ceiling. He took a step back, his boot splashing on the carpet and making him jump slightly. Nero knew the feeling all too well; it was the same sense of uneasiness he'd felt in the Opera House back in Fortuna after defeating the Blitz. He took another step back, his eyes sliding down the wall to the far corner of the room, his gaze drawn into the darkness. He wanted to reach for Blue Rose and fire a shot to see if anything was really there, but he couldn't move his arm. He knew something was watching him and somehow, it had managed to follow him all the way here from Fortuna.

"What are you doing up here, kid?"

Nero jumped, a sound halfway between a yelp and a squeak passing his lips at the sound of Dante's voice. He closed his eyes and growled, curling his blue claws into a fist and punching the wall next to him.

"Damn you Dante!" he exclaimed. "Don't do that!"

"Geez, nervous much?" Dante queried, frowning at the younger man.

"No, I... I just didn't expect you to show up."

"Anyway, what happened up here? I was trying to settle a deal with that woman when we heard someone moving around up here. Practically scared the poor girl half to death, but I figured it was probably only you since you were missing."

"Just a pair of Cutlasses."

Dante nodded, glancing around the room. "I guess they flooded the room then."

"Probably. At least it explains all those damp spots down below."

"Good, then we can get paid and leave her to contact the landlord about it."

Nero shook his head. "See, you did get paid after all that grumbling."

"Maybe, but you stole all the action."

"Because you were too busy flirting with the client."

Dante blinked. _Oh yeah, he still thinks I'm straight_... "Listen kid, you..."

"Forget it old man, it's nice to get ahead of you for once. Let's get paid and go home, this damp smell is going to sink into my clothes at this rate. Besides, one of those bastards cut me."

The elder hunter watched as the young pushed by him and headed back into the outside corridor, wandering towards the stairwell. Dante smirked; he missed his chance to tell the kid he didn't swing that way, but at least it gave him more room to play with him. Before he could turn to leave, he felt an odd prickling sensation on the back of his neck. He looked behind him, wondering if Nero had left one demon alive, but there was nothing. His azure eyes were drawn to a dark shadow at the far end of the room, his eyes narrowing as he heard is devil side growl at it. It seemed uneasy about it, but Dante couldn't smell anything strange. _Stop chasing shadows Dante, just accept it that the punk beat you too it this time_, he told himself.

After shrugging the incident off as simply being competitive with the younger hunter, Dante collected his pay from the woman after explaining the situation. On the ride back to Devil May Cry, Nero was unusually quiet; he wasn't even boasting about beating the elder to the demons. In fact, he wasn't even grilling him for scaring him. He frowned slightly, wondering what was wrong. He couldn't have been that annoyed at him for being distracted by conversation. On that note, a smirk tugged at the corner of his lips; from Nero's point of view, the kid was probably annoyed because he thought he was flirting. He couldn't help but laugh out loud, shaking his head in disbelief.

"Something funny?" asked Nero, breaking the silence.

"Don't worry kid," Dante replied, still smirking. "It's nothing."

He heard the kid mumble something along the lines of 'stupid old man' before he returned to his silence. _Kid's jealous..._ _oh, this is going to be interesting_.

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_I hate Cutlasses... seriously, but Nero creams them when I'm not playing him! New chapter on the way soon!_


	8. Shadows Don't Lie

_Early update this time, I got really into this chapter and it's also the longest so far at 10 MS Word pages!_

_**Bitbyboth:** Thanks for reviewing! It was a little bit of both; human side is frightened, demon side is jealous! XD - Oh yes, Dante's going to get some play time!_

_**SirenaLoreley: **Thank you for reviewing! Dante is definitely in a pinch with it, and you can certainly rely on him to make a mess of it! XD_

_**Littleliesdonthurt: **Thanks for the review, glad you're hooked on it! Glad you liked that dream too!_

_**Krupse12: **Thanks for reviewing! I always love writing clueless Nero and having Dante just know everything! I see what you mean about James too, Nero's definitely like that! (I love Silent Hill) XD_

_**VioletIsInPain: **Thanks you for reviewing! Glad you liked cute little jealous Nero!_

_**Kendecia: **Thanks for reviewing, and yes, that is certainly enough to keep me writing! And more you shall have XD_

_**TheRealAkuRoku: ***glomps back* and thanks for the review and for enjoying it so far! Good to have you back and I hope the move went well!_

_**Allmath: **Thank you for the review! Yeah, Dante is the biggest perv in the world and he's definitely going to mess up, it's just his character!_

_**BattleGoddess126: **Thanks for reviewing! I hate Cutlasses enough on Human Mode, never mind anything else! (Dante Must Die mode just kills me... unless I use the trainer! XD)_

_**Honeyberries: **Thanks for reviewing! That's why I adore writing jealous Nero, he's so cute! XD_

_And cookies for everyone, an entire store full! Enjoy this extra long chapter!  
_

* * *

**Chapter 8 – Shadows Don't Lie**

On the way back home, it had started to rain; it wasn't overly heavy, but the water was ice cold and felt awfully unpleasant. Nero grumbled on the back of Dante's bike, feeling his coat and jeans beginning to get wet again, which was annoying seeing as they only dried yesterday. However, the coldness was beginning to soak through him and his wet hoodie and undershirt were clinging to his still wounded chest. Once back at the Devil May Cry office, Nero stepped down from the back of the red bike and grimaced as he reopened parts of the wound. He slid his hand tentatively up his black tank top and touched the gash along his chest and upper abdomen, wincing slightly as it stung at his finger tips.

"Hey, you hurt kid?" asked Dante, slight concern in his voice.

"Its nothing old man," Nero replied. "Just a... s-scratch..."

His voice caught in his throat as he unstuck the fabric of his shirt from the cut, removing his hand and glaring at the blood staining his finger tips. Dante sighed and dismounted his bike, shaking his head as he walked by Nero towards the double doors of the office.

"That ain't nothing kid," he retorted. "Come on, I'll get you cleaned up."

Nero blushed. "I can take care of it myself, Dante."

"Yeah, but I can look at it more closely to make sure it's not infected."

"Look, it'll heal itself eventually, okay. Don't make a fuss."

"Here I am trying to be nice to ya and you just shake me off..."

"Oh alright, take a look at it then!"

Dante chuckled. "You give in so easily."

He pushed open the doors to the office, shaking his head to get some of the standing water out of his hair. Nero shut the doors behind him, hanging up his coat and sighing as he glanced down at his damp jeans. He was quickly getting sick of the rain. He unzipped his red hoodie, throwing it over the back of one of the leather sofas as Dante went upstairs to the bathroom to fetch a first aid kit. Nero sat on the couch and peeled off his damp black tank top, wincing as the fabric came unstuck from the still bleeding wound.

"Damn things usually heal quicker than this," the kid murmured.

"That's because it keeps reopening, it doesn't have the time."

Nero looked over to the stairs as Dante returned, a small green box in his hands. He placed it down on the coffee table and shrugged off his leather coat, tossing it over the back of his old desk chair. He sat down next to the teen, reaching for the first aid kit and rummaging through it. He glanced out of the corner of his eye, taking a few moments to observe the younger man's toned upper torso. _Cut it out Dante, try and concentrate for once,_ he told himself. Eventually, he found the rolled up strips of gauze and a pack of antiseptic wipes. He took a few out, grimacing at the unpleasant smell as he observed the deep gash on Nero's chest. A lot of it had healed, but it was still bleeding closer to the abdomen.

"This might sting a little," Dante warned.

"Come on old man," Nero whined. "I'm not some bratty child."

"Hey Just think of it as a bit of fun, kid!"

"For hell's sake Dante, we're not playing doctors and nurses!"

The elder chuckled, an image forming in his head of Nero dressed in a naughty nurse outfit, the tight skirt barely covering his hips. He couldn't hide the perverted smirk that formed to his lips, but he quickly regained his concentration as he heard the kid growl impatiently. Hopefully, if he could get a good night's sleep, that particular scenario would feature in his dreams.

"Hurry up," Nero mumbled. "I want some coffee."

Dante smirked again, getting down to business by cleaning away most of the dried blood with one of the antiseptic wipes. Nero hissed as the wound stung sharply, the strong scent of antiseptic filling his nose. He cursed under his breath, realising that the elder probably got some weird kick out of seeing him hurting.

"You're doing this on purpose, aren't you?" he asked, glaring at him.

"Now what makes you think that kid?" Dante replied, cleaning away some more blood.

"Why else would you do this?"

"I warned you that the antiseptic would sting, didn't I?"

"Yeah, but you're enjoying this way too much!"

The elder laughed. "Would you rather me lick it clean instead?"

Nero blushed, hating the way everything the man said to him made him do that. "Shut up."

Dante smirked again, unravelling some of the gauze and indicating for the kid to raise his arms above his head. Still blushing, Nero obliged and tried to look anywhere other than at the other man as he wrapped the soft gauze around his chest. A little bit of blood soaked through once it was wrapped around down to his middle, causing the younger to wince again.

"There, now that wasn't so bad was it?" asked Dante, teasingly.

"Whatever," Nero huffed.

"That'll teach you to get injured again then, won't it? How did a Cutlass manage that?"

"Hey, it was a confined space okay, I barely had any room to manoeuvre!"

"That's something you'll learn to combat with experience."

"Tch, I get all the action and you still manage to show me up."

Dante managed to control his devil side as it purred contentedly; _kid's just too fucking cute when he pouts like that_. He put the remaining strips of gauze back in the first aid kit and shut the lid, moving to get up from the sofa, but Nero pulled him back for a moment.

"Can I ask you something?" he queried.

Dante looked down at him. "Sure kid."

"When you were in that flat; you know, the one that was flooded. Did you... err... feel anything strange. Like there was something there."

The elder frowned slightly, remembering the shadows that his devil side seemed to be somewhat vexed with. He had ignored the feeling as his competitive streak showing, but if Nero thought something was weird, then it couldn't have just been him. However, it seemed as though the kid was worried about it, so there was no reason to make it worse.

"I don't think so," Dante replied. "You killed the Cutlasses, right?"

"I know that," Nero snapped. "I don't mean them, I meant... something else."

"It was just a bit dark in there, that's all. You scared of the dark, kid?"

The teen blushed furiously. "No I am not! I'm being serious here, Dante."

Dante chuckled and ruffled his hair. "You're so easy to wind up."

He glared at him. "You said the same damn thing when I mentioned it back in Fortuna. I swear that what I saw back there in the Opera House was the same thing in that flat."

"Alright, so what was it you saw?"

"I don't really know... it looked like just a shadow but there was something else. It's hard to explain, it was just a feeling. I didn't really _see_ anything, but there was definitely something there."

"You could tell some real good horror stories, kid. Go and change, I'll make you a coffee."

Nero glared again. "You're certain you didn't see anything?"

"I told you, it was just dark."

He sighed deeply and got off the couch, heading over to the stairs and walking up to his room. He was completely certain there was something strange going on, regardless to whether Dante saw it or not. Perhaps if he came across it again, he might be able to convince the elder. Nero shut the door and quickly stripped himself of his damp jeans, pleased that the water had barely soaked through to his skin. He took a fresh pair out of his dresser along with a warm white jumper and changed, breathing in that freshness of recently washed clothes. Even though Dante's dryer was a bit old and clunky, it certainly made things come out fresh and fluffy.

By the time he went back downstairs, the smell of coffee filled his senses and it forced a contented sigh from his lips. He swore that coffee never smelt that good. He sauntered back over the sofa and sat down, resting his head back and closing his eyes. The more he thought about, the more he failed to understand how Devil May Cry felt so homely. It was messy, a little on the cold side and was full of numerous strange weapons and devil skulls. On top of that, Dante had to be the laziest man on Earth. But Nero couldn't help but love it. It was almost funny to think that, before he met the elder, he'd have rather slept outside in the Fortuna docks than live at a place like this. But now, it just seemed that it didn't matter where that home was; so long as Dante was there it would feel like home.

"Feeling okay kid?" the elder's voice broke the silence.

Nero opened his eyes again and sat up slightly, glancing at the other man who offered him a mug of coffee. "Yeah I'm fine, just resting a little that's all," he replied as he took the mug. "And do you have to call me kid every single time?"

"I don't have to, no. I just want to."

He smirked as the kid glowered at him; that expression would never look anything other than hot on his handsome face. He sat down next to the younger hunter, his thigh brushing against his as he opened his can of beer. Nero glanced down as he felt the elder's thigh rub against his, a light pink tinge spreading to his cheeks. The guy was sitting so close that he could smell his alluring, masculine scent over the cheap alcohol and he shivered involuntarily.

"You can't still be feeling the cold, can you?" Dante questioned. "I have the heating on."

"I-I'm not..." Nero muttered. "It's just because the coffee's hot."

The elder smirked knowingly, not responding to that as he took a swig of the bitter liquid in the steel can. There was no doubt about it, the kid was definitely reacting to him, which meant he wasn't the straight arrow he originally thought he was. Even though his current situation wasn't getting the younger hunter into his bed, it was somewhat satisfying that Nero was still clueless. Deciding to test his luck, Dante rested his arm on the back of the sofa behind Nero's head and shifted slightly to inch closer to him. He leaned his head in slightly, his nose almost brushing against his silvery locks and his lips close to his ear. He smelt so enticing that it took every inch of his control not to jump him.

"You up for pizza again tonight?" he asked.

The teen turned his head to look at him, a blush tinting his cheeks when he realised how close the elder was. He swallowed, managing to stop the shiver that threatened to run through his body as he felt Dante's fingers gently waft through the ends of his hair. He tried to focus back on the conversation, ignoring his devil side tempting him to kiss those perfect lips.

"What, again?" Nero retorted, managing to keep his voice steady. "You seriously do eat nothing but pizza, don't you?"

"Sure, I mean there's no point going to extremes when no one else is around."

"Yeah, but I'm around now old man, can't we eat something else?"

The elder smirked. "I don't really have any food in and I can't be bothered to go to the store... why don't we eat out tonight? I know some decent places, even if that does surprise you. You know, it comes in handy when taking people out on dates."

Nero glared at him, moving away from him quickly. "I don't want to know, Dante."

_Man, he is seriously jealous._ "Aw, then you won't eat out with me tonight?"

"Okay, but only if _you_ pay and you don't try and hit on anyone."

_Even if that 'anyone' is you?_ "Alright, that's a deal."

* * *

During the day, one phone call came in to the office and Dante took the mission alone, deciding that Nero still needed to make sure his injury was sufficiently healed. Reluctantly, the younger hunter remained behind, but decided to make good use of his time by tidying up the messy downstairs rooms. However, he managed to stay clear of the old oak desk, refusing to even touch the dirty magazines that were stashed in the top drawer. _Sick womanising pervert_, he uttered to himself. His chances with the guy were practically zero now; he was as straight as a fucking lamppost.

By the time Dante returned from the mission with easily enough cash to pay for the meal, it was time to leave. Neither of them were dressed particularly smartly, though the elder had switched his usual attired for a nice fitted pair of deep red jeans and a smart black shirt. Nero felt somewhat scruffy with his usual jeans and a plain black t-shirt with a bandage wrapped around his arm to hide the red and blue scales. Dante tried to insist upon him not wearing the bandage, but he refused, not ready to part with it just yet. He didn't want people staring at him, even if they weren't hostile.

Surprisingly enough, the elder took them to a very cosy looking Italian restaurant and, even more surprisingly, he did not order pizza despite it being on the menu. Nero took a good look around the place, noticing that it was all laid out with tables for two and it seemed to be all couples who were eating here. He blushed a little, glancing briefly at the flickering light of the candle on their table before locking eyes with Dante. The elder slayer was only being nice, there was nothing more to it, regardless to how much Nero wanted to believe it was like a date. But he was distracted again as the waitress put their drinks down in front of them, his devil side growling at the looks she was giving Dante.

"So, what do you think?" Dante asked as he sipped his light beer.

"I'm surprised you didn't order pizza," Nero chuckled, glad for the distraction from his inner demon wanting to tell the waitress where to stick her flirty glances. "Aside from that, this place is pretty nice and I can't wait for my lasagne!"

"Good, because I'm paying for it all."

The teen snickered. "You really hate parting with your money, don't you?"

"I do when I know the rest isn't going to stay in my wallet very long."

"I take it that means Lady knows when you get missions to come round and steal from you?"

"Got it in one, kid."

"You really can't manage your money very much, can you?"

"Heh, I rarely get a chance to! You can't manage money when you don't have any."

Nero was interrupted from replying when the waitress returned again with their food, which both looked and smelt amazing. Once again, she tried to make eye contact with Dante, but he was far too busy admiring his spaghetti bolognaise to care. Nero glared daggers into the back of her head as she strutted away, beginning to wonder if there wasn't a girl on this planet who wasn't trying to get in Dante's pants. However, he didn't want a little case of jealousy to add a bitter edge to what promised to be an excellent meal.

The evening actually went pretty well, helped by the fact that the waitress didn't come back. To top it all off, the lasagne tasted wonderful and the conversation with Dante never took an embarrassing trend as it often tended to. Though there was a point where the elder completely messed up eating his spaghetti and managed to splatter red sauce all over his face. The only downside to that was when Nero almost choked on his food in his attempt at stopping his laughter. In fact, Dante had enjoyed himself so much that he didn't even complain about the bill at the end. _The only thing that would make this evening more perfect would be if I could actually pluck up enough courage to confess to the kid and make him mine_, the elder thought on the way home. Though he didn't have the chance anyway, as the instant they got home, the younger hunter decided to go to bed early.

Sighing, Dante wandered into the kitchen and fetched a few cans of beer from the fridge, sitting himself down in front of the television. He flipped the channel back from the movie station to one of his adult channels, settling down and opening a can while he watched the pair of men fucking in a hot tub. He sighed again, more in frustration than anything else as he drained the can, finding that even his gay porn channels were unable to provide any distraction from his thoughts about Nero. He cursed himself inwardly; he was always confident when it came to men, but this was different. Add love into the mix and things became so much more complicated. Eventually, Dante gave up and switched off the TV, retiring to his room for the night to get some sleep. Going to Love Planet and finding a man for the night was completely out of the question, so hopefully a few days of decent missions would take his mind off the growing sexual frustration.

* * *

Nero was jolted awake roughly as he fell on the floor, his legs still tangled in the white sheets. He sat there for a moment, waiting for his eyes to adjust to the darkness. Once he could see a little better, he detangled his legs from the sheets and got to his feet, stifling his yawn as he read the time on his digital clock. He groaned, running his hands through his hair; _why the fuck do I have to wake up at three in the morning?_ He crossed the room and peered out of his curtains, double checking that it was indeed showing the correct time. He sighed, glaring at the darkness of early morning and the orange glow of the street lamps.

He was about to go back to bed when a strange movement caught his attention just at the edge of his field of vision. His eyes scanned the street below, trying to find what he'd seen, but all he could see were shadows. He shivered, beginning to feel panicky every time this happened to him. Was he losing it? He started to think that perhaps the confined and hated existence he suffered in Fortuna had actually had some psychological effect on him but then, he saw that same quick movement again. Nero narrowed his blue eyes, his gaze finally settling on a particularly dark shadow leering out from behind a green dumpster. He swallowed nervously, wishing that he hadn't left Blue Rose with Dante's armoury downstairs. A horrible sensation flooded through him from his gut as he continued to be absorbed into the shadow, his eyes trying to pick out the shape of something within the ever growing darkness.

He jumped at the sudden sound of a cat yowling outside, the shock bringing him out of the paralysis that had ensnared him. Nero dashed back into his bed without shutting the curtains, huddling back under the covers and staring at the window. He almost wanted to laugh at himself for being so jumpy, but the fact that his demon side also seemed to feel uncomfortable made him wonder if something else was happening. The light on his Devil Bringer flashed dimly, almost as if it was trying its best not to give his position away. Nero swallowed nervously, trying to slow down his heart that was hammering against his chest. He tried to shrug it off as a bad dream that was returning to him, especially seeing as he'd woken up on the floor. However, all of those thoughts abandoned him as he spotted a thin streak of shadow at the corner of his window. _That certainly wasn't there before..._

His eyes widened as he watched the thin shadow slowly ease its way down the wall to the hardwood floor. His gaze flicked back up again, a similar looking shadow now at the corner directly above and stretching out towards the ceiling. _Okay, I'm definitely not seeing things!_ As quickly as he could manage and not caring that he was only wearing a thin pair of black boxers, Nero leapt out of bed, dashed out into the main corridor and ran to Dante's room. He banged loudly on the door, not giving up until the elder woke up and let him in.

"Dante!" he yelled. "Wake up Dante! Dante!"

In a few seconds, a mostly naked Dante opened the door. "What's wrong?"

"I'll explain, please just let me in there with you!"

The elder raised an eyebrow; the kid's skin was as white as a sheet and his voice sounded as terrified as he looked. He stepped aside and allowed Nero into his room, shutting the door behind him and switching on the light. He glanced over to the younger hunter, who was standing by his window and peering out of the curtains. Dante frowned slightly and crossed the room, having to laugh when Nero jumped a mile as he placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Seriously kid, what's the matter?" he asked, beginning to feel more concerned.

"Listen Dante," Nero replied. "I don't care what you say, but there is something following me! It was in the Opera House back at Fortuna, it was in the flat today and it was outside my window just now! The damn thing even tried to get in!"

"Whoa Nero, calm down!" Dante gently held his upper arms. "Slow down and explain."

The teen took a deep breath. "I don't know what it is, all I know is that it's like a shadow or something. Whenever I see it, I just have to look and I keep trying to see _something_ amongst the darkness, but I can't no matter how hard I try! I thought maybe I was seeing things, but I'm pretty sure that shadows can't just creep in through a closed window."

"Did it actually get into your room?"

"I don't know, I didn't hang around long enough to find out."

Dante sighed. "Are you sure you didn't just have a bad dream?"

"No damn it, it wasn't a fucking dream! Even my devil side gets unnerved by it."

"Alright, I'll go and check for you."

"Yeah... I'll follow you."

The elder hid his smirk from the other man, who looked quite simply adorable as he stared up at him almost pleadingly. Both hunters made the short walk over to Nero's bedroom, Dante actually beginning to wonder if it was worth nipping downstairs to fetch one of his guns. He opened the door cautiously and looked inside, moving to switch the light on, but the younger man stopped him. Nero peered over Dante's shoulder, his eyes finding all of the shadows but none of them were suspicious. He sighed, resting his chin against the elder's strong shoulder.

"It's not here," he groaned, wondering whether that was good or bad.

"Honestly kid, you're starting to worry me," Dante replied, scratching his head.

"I'm not some stupid kid having nightmares Dante, I definitely saw something!"

The older hunter sighed. "What do you want me to about it, hmm?"

"Can I..." the kid trailed off with a blush. "Can I sleep in your room?"

He didn't want to, but Dante was unable to prevent the laughter that escaped him. As adorable as Nero was, that question just tickled him right to the core. He managed to calm himself as he observed the harsh glare he was given, knowing all too well that he deserved it.

"Sorry Nero," he chuckled. "But surely you can see the funny side of this?"

Nero sighed. "Yeah, I guess it did sound pretty dumb."

"You're lucky I have a king sized bed, otherwise you'd be on the floor."

The younger hunter rubbed his nose in embarrassment as he followed the elder back to his bedroom, again hating the way he was always blushing around him. He sat down on the edge of the large bed, his fingers absently stroking the red satin as he heard Dante cross the room to look out of his window. The sheets felt wonderfully cool and sensual against his fingers tips.

"No wonder you sleep in so late," Nero murmured.

When the elder didn't respond, he turned his head back to look at him, noticing that he was still staring out of the window. He waited for a moment, wondering if Dante was thinking of a smartass remark to throw at him, but it never came. He just stood there, intently gazing out of the window and barely moving a muscle; in fact, his stance was so tense, it looked as though he was ready to pounce.

"Dante?" Nero queried.

Again, there was no reply. The teen got to his feet to give Dante a punch on the arm for ignoring him, but he stopped dead when he noticed something was wrong. His eyes were no longer the familiar ice blue like his own, but a vibrant crimson that looked far beyond human. Nero tried to see what the older part devil was looking at, quickly noticing the same shadow looming in an alleyway across the road. So Dante could see it too? Was it causing his eyes to change like that?

"Come on old man, pay attention!" Nero yelled.

He grabbed Dante's face and pulled him round, yanking the curtains shut the instant he'd attracted his attention. Dante closed his eyes and rubbed them slightly, shaking his head and running his fingers through his white mane. _Shit that was close, any longer and I would have Triggered_, Dante thought, even though he wasn't quite sure what was making him want to Trigger.

"I told you there's something weird going on!" the teen exclaimed.

"Alright, so I admit I did feel something in that flat this afternoon," Dante told him. "I've no idea what it is though, I'm not really the expert on these things. I just kill them once I know how to."

"I thought you were going to Trigger or something."

"Yeah, I was going to! Hell knows why though, it's almost like I lost control of it."

Nero sighed. "What do we do?"

"Get some sleep for now, it's all we can do. I'll phone Trish up tomorrow because she's the expert at stuff like this; she really won't appreciate me contacting her at gone three in the morning!"

"But..."

"No buts kiddo," he ruffled Nero's hair affectionately. "Just get some sleep."

Nero pouted a little, but he was still relieved that Dante was now taking it seriously after the scare with his Trigger. The whole ordeal even allowed him to forget his embarrassment of sharing a bed with the older male. He slipped under the covers beside him, trying to make sure that he was as far away from him as possible.

"I'm not going to bite," he heard Dante chuckle sleepily. "Unless you want me to."

"Shut up old man," Nero rumbled humorously.

On that note, he allowed himself to slip into a restless sleep, his thoughts still plagued by the shadows that continuously seemed to stalk him.

* * *

_It's bad for an uke to have his stalker know where he lives! Poor kid... new chapter on the way soon!_


	9. Shedding Some Light

_Thanks to everyone for all of your reviews/favourite as always, you guys are awesome! Cookies for all!  
_

_**Bitbyboth:** Thanks for the review! Haha, great to see that chapter had you feeling nervous for Nero! I think he would have felt safer if he had his gun with him._

_**VioletIsInPain:** Thanks for reviewing! Yup, bad things always happen to poor Nero and Dante certainly has his uses at times like that! XD_

_**Morimur: **Thank you for reviewing, glad you're enjoy things so far! Glad you found it creep too!_

_**PayingInNaivety: **Thanks for the review! Nero's certainly going to be better off now Dante believes him!_

_**SirenaLoreley: **Thank you for reviewing and it's good to hear that it scared you, I do enjoy writing about creepy shadowy things! XD – and you'll find out soon what's up with Dante!_

_**TheRealAkuRoku: **Thanks for reviewing, glad the move went well! I think Dante enjoyed Nero running to him too! XD_

_**BattleGoddess126: **Thanks for reviewing! Yeah, the trainer's for the PC version. Dante would be happy to give Nero a hug for you (and a lot more too...)! XD_

_**Honeyberries: **Thanks for the review! Glad you thought scared Nero was cute; all the more reason for Dante to keep calling him 'kid' lol_

_**Lt. Sarcasm: **Thank you for the review! Glad you're enjoying it so far!_

_On to the new chapter, a little shorter than the last though. Enjoy!  
_

* * *

**Chapter 9 – Shedding Some Light**

Nero didn't know how he was able to feel so refreshed after spending half of the night slipping in and out of a dream disrupted sleep. But somehow, he felt as though he'd just had the best night's sleep in his life; even his devil side was purring with contentment when, the previous night, it was just as unnerved as he had been. Though as he thought of it, his devil side never usually cared about having a decent night's sleep or not. On that note, he felt his entire body heat up when he remembered that he'd spent the whole night sleeping in Dante's bed; no wonder he felt so good. He moved to stretch, however he found himself pinned down by a warm, comforting object. Swallowing nervously, Nero slowly opened his eyes, blinking to get things into focus before glancing over his shoulder.

He blushed furiously when he realised Dante was cuddling him, his strong arms wrapped securely around his waist. His stubble rubbed against the back of his neck as he shifted closer to him, nuzzling him just under the ear. Nero felt a shiver run the length of his spine at the blissful contact, enjoying the warmth flooding into him from the elder's near naked body. Only the thin fabric of their boxers kept them from brushing skin on skin, that thought instantly tempting him to tear them off and gaze upon the object of his affections. He sighed deeply, wishing that he could stay like this forever and fall asleep every night to wake up in Dante's arms. His life would feel so wonderfully complete if this man would love him as he did.

However, Nero's thoughts recalled more important events; the reason he was asleep in Dante's bed in the first place was because of the strange shadows. He eventually managed to pry himself from the elder half demon's embrace, albeit reluctantly, and get out of bed. He gazed back down at the sleeping Dante, a dull ache throbbing within at the realisation that this would never happen again. He almost looked cute, curled up like that with his arms spread out from where they had been holding him just moments ago. Nero sighed and quietly crossed the room to look out of the window, but he managed to bump into the bedside table in the process. He flinched at the sound, looking quickly at Dante, but he hadn't even budged.

"Heh, no wonder knocking him up didn't work," Nero mumbled under his breath.

He went to look out of the window again, but his foot stepped onto something cool and slightly slippery. He looked down and saw he'd stepped on a magazine. He wrinkled his nose, assuming it was another one of Dante's tasteless Playboy issues, but as he moved his foot, he saw it was actually a men's health magazine. Intrigued, Nero picked it up and flicked through it, his face reddening when he realised it was specifically targeted at gay men. The teen dropped it back on the floor and quickly left the room, forgetting to check if his unknown stalker was still outside.

Once back in his own room, he sat down on the edge of his bed for a moment, his mind running a mile with his confused thoughts. He held his head in his hands, not knowing what to think now. There was just too much conflicting evidence for him to get any idea as to the man's preferences. Nero sighed, ignoring his demon side as it suggested he actually try asking Dante about it. He knew it spoke sense, but he didn't want to risk his friendship with the elder hunter by asking him about that. He could just imagine it; _hey Dante, are you gay? I'm wondering because I fancy you_. Nero sighed again, knowing that would be the worst thing he could possibly do.

Though there was little time to ponder of the subject as he heard his stomach growl in protest. He had to chuckle at himself, realising that he was beginning to act like a character in a sappy romance novel trying to win over his prince charming. He frowned for a moment and shook his head; yes Dante was sexy and manly, but he certainly wasn't a prince charming. _I seriously think too much_. Nero stood up from the edge of his bed and changed into his usual attire before heading downstairs. He tried all the cupboards in the kitchen, hoping to find something other than the pack of waffles he found yesterday, but there was no such luck. He sighed and glanced at the clock on the wall, calculating that he had plenty of time to dash to a store before Dante woke up. He peeked out of the smeared glass of the window, noticing that for once it was sunny and, not only that, but a beautiful looking frost glinted at him from the pavements. The teen grinned broadly, dashing upstairs to fetch some cash and heading out into the early morning cold.

As soon as he was outside, Nero had to steady himself as he almost slipped on the first patch of frost covered pavement he stepped on. He smirked, looking back behind him to see that in places, the frost was thick enough for him to leave a footprint. It never got cold enough in Fortuna for frost, even overnight and this was such a novelty for the younger hunter. It looked like now the heavy rain had passed by a cold front was moving in, leaving clear skies and a refreshing wintery breeze. What was even better was the fact that it was still only late autumn, which meant the weather would get even colder. That thought was enough to keep a contented grin on Nero's face while he walked around the store, picking out various items to stock Dante's cupboards with. He was fed up of seeing the fridge and cupboards full of stale junk and, no matter how long it took, he would force the older part devil to eat properly. Not only that, but he imagined he'd quickly get sick of eating pizza every day.

By the time Nero arrived back at the Devil May Cry office, he was surprisingly greeted by a concerned looking Dante. The kid almost dropped the two carrier bags full of shopping as the elder dashed over to him and grasped his upper arms. He blinked at him, wondering what was wrong until he guessed that Dante was probably worried when he woke up and he was missing.

"Damn it kid!" he exclaimed. "Where did you go?"

"Don't worry old man," Nero shoved him away. "I just went to the store that's all."

Dante breathed a sigh of relief. "I was worried something happened and I slept through it."

"What happened was that I wanted to eat something other than your five day old waffles! I just got some decent stuff in to eat for a change, seeing as you won't get off your ass to eat anything other than pizza for every meal of the day."

"Were you okay?"

"Yes I was fine! I nearly slipped over a few times on the frosty patches, but I was fine."

"Good, because I'd hate it if anything bad happened to you, especially seeing as we don't know what this thing is, never mind what it wants. I just called Trish over and... err... you should expect her to be a little concerned. I kind of panicked when I found the office empty this morning."

Nero rolled his eyes skyward. "I'm touched, but panicking is a bit overboard."

"When I brought you back here from Fortuna, I wanted to make sure you had a better life than you did up there. I would never forgive myself if I let something happen to you just because I'm a lazy ass and can't wake up in the morning."

The teen blushed. "I told you before I can take care of myself, right?"

Dante smirked. "Says the guy who runs screaming into my room last night because of shadows."

The blush turned into a glare. "Do you want me to cook you a fry up or not?"

"Ooh, you were offering a fry up?"

"Yeah," Nero picked up the shopping bags and waved them in front of the elder's face.

"Of course you can take care of yourself, kid; I was only worried about you."

Nero shook his head, sticking his tongue out at the older man before he sauntered off into the kitchen with his shopping. Dante smirked, his eyes trailing down the kid's back until they settled on his tight ass, his blue jeans hugging his hips beautifully. His fingers were just itching to tear them off. He even allowed his devil side the satisfaction of purring as he moved to sit at his old oak desk, resting his feet up on the heavy wood. However, he still couldn't deny how worried he had felt when he woke up to find Nero gone. He had honestly thought the younger hunter had been taken from his bed during the night while he'd been asleep, especially seeing as he had made sure Nero was asleep before cuddling him all night long. He smirked again; it was a real pity he hadn't woken up with him in his arms. It would most likely been the most adorable sight, even though it would have definitely stirred up his sexual needs, which had been ignored of recent. He groaned and shifted in his chair. He hadn't had sex in weeks because he knew he'd only end up moaning Nero's name and the tension was eating away at him. _No wonder my devil side's so horny._

After the divine aromas floating in from the kitchen brought him out of thought, Dante eventually shifted himself from his desk to watch the kid cook them both a fabulous looking fry up. As he was standing there, he was still trying to decide which option would be better; stealing something from the frying pan or taking the younger hunter right there and then. However, neither was really an option, so he forced himself to leave the kitchen and sit on the leather sofa, waiting to be served. _Or serviced,_ Dante thought with a devilish smirk. He licked his lips at the thought of it, wanting to run his fingers through Nero's soft white hair while his warm mouth enveloped him. He grunted, his hand automatically moving to find his crotch, but the sound of clattering plates from the kitchen jolted him out of his fantasy. It wouldn't look very good if the kid came back in and found him with his hands in his pants moaning his name.

"How much longer kid?" Dante shouted into the kitchen.

"You can't instantly cook a fry up, Dante," Nero replied, an irritated note to his voice.

"Another reason why cold pizza is great in the morning; it's instant."

"Do you want to eat or not?"

"You'll be threatening me with starvation soon, won't you?"

"You bet I will, old man. I'll start hiding the pizzeria numbers."

Dante chuckled. "Oh, but then I'd have to tickle you into submission."

Nero entered the main office space carrying two plates piled with eggs, bacon, sausages, tomatoes and fried bread, a glare on his face as he stared at the elder. "You can forget about that, you'll be shot through the nearest wall if you even try."

"Depends if I tickle you enough that you can't do anything."

"Heh, I'd like to see you try."

Dante smirked, watching as Nero placed the two plates down on the coffee table. Without warning, he grabbed him by the hips and pulled him into his lap, his fingers reaching for the pale skin around his waist.

"Get the fuck off me Dante!" Nero exclaimed.

The elder part devil laughed, not relinquishing his grip on the teen even as he turned around to try and slug him with his brightly glowing Devil Bringer. He had already noticed the deep scarlet blush on the other man's cheeks and he also expected his demonic arm wasn't glowing out of anger. Dante smirked again as he watched the blue glow, which pulsed in a gentle rhythm as his devil side started purring again. The glow intensified at that, the elder knowing it was reacting to him, even though Nero was curling his talons ready to punch him.

"Try and get free then," he teased.

The kid growled. "I'm so gonna kick your ass."

He gripped Dante's shoulder with his human hand, practically straddling him as he shifted to punch him square in the jaw with his Bringer. However, before he could continue, the double doors to the office flew open and he heard the sound of two people walk in. Both devil hunters turned to look towards the doorway, their eyes falling on the two women who showed up.

"Right on time, babes," Dante noted, grinning broadly.

"I see you found him again," Trish replied, rolling her eyes as Lady chuckled next to her. "It looks like we're interrupting, so should we come back later when you've finished?"

"Nah its fine, we were just having breakfast. Right kid?"

Nero glared daggers at him, his face beetroot red. "Yeah, of course we were," he muttered.

Dante had to smile at how cute the kid looked when he was completely embarrassed, unable to stop himself from lightly slapping his ass as he removed himself from his lap. Another glare was shot in his direction, but Nero quietly sat down next to him on the leather sofa and retrieved his fry up from the coffee table.

"Nice to see you getting along so well with your new boyfriend," Lady teased as she wandered across the room to perch on the edge of the desk. "I'm surprised the poor guy hasn't been traumatised after living here since... when did you get back?"

Dante glared at her. "Two days ago."

"Okay, so that was a little harsh. I'll give him another day."

"Oh? Well why don't you ask him yourself?"

Lady turned to look at Nero with her mismatched eyes, smiling knowingly at the light blush that still tinted his cheeks. "You're Nero, right?"

The teen nodded as he swallowed what he was eating. "Yeah."

"Glad to meet you at last, Dante never shut up about you."

"Shut it Lady," Dante growled through a mouthful of sausage and crispy bacon.

She smirked, turning back to Nero again. "If you get fed up of living here, I'm sure there are plenty of options for you."

"Anywhere's better than Fortuna," Nero replied. "At least here no one is trying to kill me or accuse me of things I'm not guilty of. I think I'll be perfectly fine here."

Lady went to reply, but Trish place a hand on her shoulder and smiled. "I think he's happy."

Dante glared at both of them. "Why wouldn't he be?"

"Because you're an ass," Lady cut in.

"Listen, I contacted Trish to come over and talk about something serious, not to bring you around to insult me."

"Actually, I came along to claim my share of your earnings yesterday."

He groaned. "Come on Lady, I do have Nero to keep as well as myself now."

"I have no intention of getting any money from Nero, he can have his own share which I assume you're giving him."

"Well I did buy him dinner last night..."

"It's all fine okay," Nero cut in. "Give him a bit of slack."

Lady raised an eyebrow. "Wow, you must have made some impression on him if he's actually sticking up for you. He must be completely enamoured."

The kid blushed again. "He did save me from Fortuna."

"There, you see!" Dante proclaimed triumphantly. "I can be a nice guy when I want to."

"Sure," the brunette chuckled. "When you're completely en..."

"Alright, shall we get down to business now before Dante forgets what he phoned me to discuss," Trish interrupted her, giving her a pointed glance. "I got the impression from the call that it was something important."

"It is," Dante replied, setting his plate down on the table.

"So what's the problem? You said something's after Nero?"

"I'll let the kid explain."

Nero glanced up at the blonde, recalling her face as belonging to the Order member he knew as Gloria, but also remembering Dante warning him not to call her that. "Trish right?" he asked.

"Yes," she replied with a smile. "This is Lady."

"Yeah, Dante warned me about you two."

"I bet he did! Anyway, could you please explain what had Dante frantically yelling at me on the phone about this morning."

"Well, firstly I guess it's because he thought something happened to me this morning, when in fact I'd only gone to the store to get some decent food in. But aside from that, something seems to be following me; I first encountered it in Fortuna when Dante came to see me three days ago and it reappeared here. I saw it outside the office last night and it even tried to get in to my room, but it didn't seem to try when I slept with Dante."

Lady sniggered at that, Nero blushing furiously. "Not in _that_ way," he snapped.

"Okay, so what does it look like?" Trish asked, shaking her head at the other huntress.

"Err... well, that's kinda the hard part. I can't really describe it in anyway other than a shadow. But it's not an ordinary shadow. It can move and it seemed to be able to travel straight through glass; that's how it tried to get to me last night. When I see it, I feel all weird, like there's something watching me and drawing my gaze into the darkness. It's strange."

Trish frowned slightly. "I see... have you seen it, Dante?"

"Sort of," the elder replied.

"How do you mean sort of?"

"Well, I couldn't really see anything other than what Nero did; just a really dark patch of shadow. I've seen it twice and both times, my devil side seemed to react to it. Last night just looking at it made me want to Trigger, but I still don't know why. I almost lost control of it."

"I think I know what you're talking about, but it's a little odd."

"You know what it is?" Nero asked, hopefully.

"Well, there's no doubt that it's a shadow demon, but given the way you've described it, I think it's a little strange for it to be hanging around. Dante, go and fetch that volume you have on shadow and light demons, I'm sure I saw something like that in there."

Dante nodded and got off the couch, heading upstairs and into his room. Nero felt instantly relieved that Trish seemed to know what he was talking about, especially when Dante had been reluctant to believe him in the first place.

"This makes a start," he sighed.

"I'm guessing it upsets even your demon side, correct?" asked the blonde.

"Yeah, just a bit. Dante didn't even believe me until last night when he almost Triggered on me."

"I can imagine, knowing him."

"You know him well, huh?"

"Yeah, that's why I always bring at least one gun when I pay a visit," Lady replied with a smirk.

Nero blushed again. "Then can I... err... ask you something about him?"

Lady laughed, but Trish just smiled. "Sure," the blonde told him.

"Is he always... you know... _touchy feely_ with people?"

The mismatched eyed huntress had to abandon her perch on the edge of the oak desk to slump in the desk chair, her hands covering her mouth in an attempt to stop laughing. Nero's blush deepened and he looked back to the leather clad demon, wondering whether he should have asked that.

"Not at all," Trish explained with a smile. "Is he with you?"

"Well, he always ruffles my hair," Nero replied, cursing his burning cheeks. "And back in Fortuna, he sometimes walked with his arm around me and just now, he was trying to tickle me. I just wanted to know if... if he's always like that."

"I can assure you Nero, he's not like that with anyone. Except you, it seems."

"But, why me?"

"I think that's something you should ask him about."

Nero sighed, his thoughts beginning to become ever more jumbled, but he had little time to dwell on it as Dante returned from upstairs with a heavy looking book that looked as though it hadn't been touched in years. He handed it over to Trish before reclaiming his seat next to Nero, eyeing Lady suspiciously once she'd managed to quell her laughter. Nero shivered inwardly as he smelt Dante's strong, masculine scent and as his thigh brushed against his. Could he really ask the guy about how he acted around him? He didn't want to jeopardise their friendship over the issue, but he wanted to get all the doubts out of his mind.

"This is it," Trish broke the silence. "I thought I'd seen something."

"What is it?" Nero asked. "Can it be killed?"

The blonde sighed. "It's more complicated than that. What you have described is known as a Shadow Stalker and, regardless to what anyone says, it is actually a benign demon."

"Benign? I wouldn't call stalking benign."

"They don't harm humans, that's why they're classified as benign. Basically, the Shadow Stalker feeds off human fear and doesn't need to actually consume flesh to survive, seeing as they do not need a physical form. To cut a story short, they hide in the shadows to scare people. So, all these humans who talk about being scared of the dark are probably being watched by a Shadow Stalker. It's often known for them to follow humans for several years if they're fear is strong, because it provides better sustenance."

"So this thing's feeding off me?"

Trish sighed again. "Shadows Stalkers do not feed from demons, they only feed off human fear, as I explained. The only reason for them to follow a demon, even a part demon, is if..." she paused again, giving Nero an almost apologetic look. "Is if they're looking for a potential mate."

Nero blinked, wondering if he heard correctly. "Sorry, did you just say... mate?"

"Yes."

The teen made to speak again, but Dante cut across him. "Then why did I react to it? It seems to be interested in Nero, not me."

Trish glanced over to the elder slayer. "Why else would a demon react to a fellow male trying to attract a potential mate?"

"So, my devil side knows this demon wants to mate with Nero and it sees it as..."

But before Dante could finish speaking, the phone rang. Sighing with relief at being interrupted from admitting that his devil side also wanted Nero as his mate, the elder got up from the sofa and picked up the phone.

"Devil May Cry."

There were a few moments silence while Dante listened to the person over the phone, his smile suggesting it was good news. "Excellent, I'll come by straight away."

He put the phone down and turned back to Trish. "That's the garage; my car's ready!"

"You're going to get it now?" asked Trish, her voice sounding irritated.

"Yeah, I've been waiting for to get my baby back for weeks!" Dante looked somewhat smug as he fetched his red leather coat from the stand, along with Nero's long denim. "You're coming too kid, just in case we pick up a mission on the way."

"But what about Nero's Shadow Stalker?" the blonde persisted.

"Well, we know what it is now, it's a shadow demon and it can be killed. If I take Nero outside, especially when it starts to get dark, it'll show up. Besides, I already have a way to deal with it, even if I hate to use it."

Before Trish could respond to that, Dante had already forced Nero from the leather couch and dragged him outside. She sighed as she shut the book, but had to laugh at the guy's usual method of dealing with demons. Not only that, but she knew he was trying his best to avoid telling Nero that the reason he reacted to the Shadow Stalker was because he saw it as competition.

"I take it Nero doesn't know that Dante fancies him?" Lady asked her.

Trish chuckled. "I don't think he does, no."

"I wonder what'll happen when he realises Dante almost Triggered because he wants to fight the Shadow Stalker and win him as his mate."

"I get the feeling he won't be that upset about it, let's leave it at that."

* * *

_Dante is such a perv... new chapter on the way soon!_


	10. A Cold Night

_A little late, but here's an update! Next chapter might be a bit late too, I'm at a convention for four days and may not have much time to write!_

_**Kendecia:** Thanks for reviewing, and now you have your wish with more!_

_**SirenaLoreley:** Thanks for the review! Yup, you certainly guessed right with the Shadow Stalker, but I wasn't going to let on! :P – glad you like the long chapters too!_

_**TheRealAkuRoku:** Thanks for reviewing, glad you like it and hopefully you'll have internet soon!_

_**VioletIsInPain:** Thank you for the review; yeah that is the right expression! And Nero is useless at filling in blanks, he'd be bad at crosswords! XD – and yes, there will be smexy soon, promise!_

_**BattleGoddess126: **Thank you for reviewing! Dante should have tickled Nero at the end of the game XD – I usually write pretty past if I have a plan and when I'm not busy (or gaming)!_

_**Honeyberries: **Thanks for the review, you'll see the action soon! (starting now in fact!)_

_**KawaiiYue:** Thanks for reviewing, glad you're enjoying it so far! It's good that the suspense is working too! Those are the reasons why Dante and Nero are so perfect for each other!_

_**Bitbyboth: **Thank you for reviewing! I do love having Nero as a clueless uke sometimes, brings out his cute side! XD – and Dante definitely has a cute side! :3_

_**Kruspe12: **Thanks for the review! I think Nero would probably be kissed by Dante and still manage to talk himself out of the obvious! XD – smexy scene(s) on the way shortly, oh certainly yes! :3_

_Some more action here... do I smell a smexy scene in the future? I think so... but it might be a wait with my next update! XD_

_

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**Chapter 10 – A Cold Night**

Nero felt somewhat annoyed that Dante had interrupted the discussion with Trish just to get his stupid car back. It could have been worse; Trish might not have known what it was that was following him, but she hadn't finished explaining the situation. He knew what it wanted with him, but he still didn't know why the elder hunter reacted the way he did. He narrowed his eyes as he stared at the back of his head, trying to work out what he had meant to say as he recalled it. _So, my devil side knows this demon wants to mate with Nero and it sees it as..._ what? Sees it as what, exactly? Did it mean that Dante wanted to protect him from it in case it became aggressive? Or did he secretly find it entertaining and interrupted to the conversation to deliberate avoid mention in it? _Or maybe Dante's jealous_, his devil side purred. Nero blushed at that remark. He had purposely kept away that train of thought in order to elude any possibility of false hope.

He sighed deeply, hating how the older man made him think so much. In a way, he had almost hoped that Trish had said Dante was touchy feely with everyone, but knowing it was only him made him feel... special. Naturally, he was probably just being teased for being young and inexperienced, but he still couldn't help but wish it could be more. Nero sighed again, continuing to walk silently behind the elder half devil and watching the thick grey clouds move in overhead. It was probably going to rain again, something which was sure to help his mood. There were times that he hated being so god damn emotional, but he remembered all too well how often he relied on it. Whilst suffering the worst in Fortuna, he needed something to remind himself he actually possessed a human side and emotions were the best reminder. It was the only way to look on the bright side when he'd cried himself to sleep at night. _Better not tell Dante that one..._

"Oh at last!" Dante proclaimed, rubbing his hands together with delight as they neared the garage. "You seriously have no idea how much I've wanted my car back, kid!"

"Yeah, badly enough to interrupt an important conversation," Nero grumbled.

"Hey, don't sweat it, I have a plan like I said."

"Oh sure, I know what the word 'plan' means when it comes from _you_. Run in guns blazing, sword swinging and hack away at it until it bleeds. I'm sure that will go down very well seeing as this demon's a damn shadow!"

Dante chuckled. "Isn't that what you do?"

"Err..." Nero blushed, remembering how he first fought Dante in the Opera House.

"Exactly. Anyway, what I have for this particular problem isn't a gun or a sword."

"Oh?" the teen raised a silvery eyebrow. "Then what?"

"Ah!" the elder tapped the side of his nose. "You'll see, kid. I'm not revealing my secrets."

"I remember you saying you don't like using it."

"I don't, but it's perfect for a situation like this."

"May I ask why you don't like it?"

Dante grumbled. "Because it's annoying, which is why I haven't used it in ten years!"

The two devil hunters entered the garage just as an icy blast of wind blew in their direction, sending shivers right through Nero. He liked the cold, but he was still used to the warmer climate back at Fortuna. He looked around the place, his eyes scanning over the vehicles in an attempt to guess which belonged to Dante. His eyes eventually fell on a red convertible that looked as though it had been recently repainted. That had to be his car; the pair of banged up old Fords didn't fit with his image, though Nero could almost picture Dante riding around in the fluorescent pink jeep. His eyes then instantly locked onto a man, who presumably worked here, as he walked over to the red clad demon hunter. The sleeveless denim jacket he wore left nothing to the imagination and Nero got the distinct impression the guy was trying to flirt with Dante. He felt his possessive side boiling up again, his devil side growling in the back of his mind.

"Ah Dante," the head mechanic welcomed the older man in. "Right on time."

"Naturally," Dante replied. "You fixed it alright I take it?"

"Yeah, but be careful in the future, I don't know how much more it can take..." the mechanic trailed off as his dark eyes instantly found Nero. "Oh, this guy with you?"

"Yeah he is."

A smirk curled to the young man's lips. "Is he your current b..."

"He's my current employee, yes," Dante interrupted, casting a meaningful look at the guy.

"Okay, I believe ya!"

Nero raised an eyebrow at that, not failing to notice the slight blush that crept to the elder's cheeks. He watched as the mechanic started explaining some information to Dante, but he didn't really pay any attention to what they were saying. He leaned back again the wall by the door, feeling the draft tingling against the blue claws of his demonic arm. In all the time he'd known the guy, not once had he seen him blush; it just wasn't something he'd thought Dante was capable of. _Does that mean he likes me?_

"Come on kid!" Dante called. "Let's get going."

The teen shook his head, noticing that while he'd been lost in thought, the other hunter was already sitting behind the wheel of his red sports car. _I seriously need to stop spacing out like that, especially with some random demon wanting to claim my ass._ Nero approached the convertible and slipped into the passenger seat, the leather of the black seats squeaking under his jeans. The instant the mechanic flicked the switch by the main entrance, the large metal door to the garage began rolling up and let in a freezing gust of wind. Nero shivered again, half wishing Dante would put the roof up, but he seemed too absorbed in the refreshing feel of the cold air.

"If you bang it up again," the young guy explained. "Don't forget to drop by."

"Sure thing," Dante replied. "I'll try and be more careful with it next time."

"That'll be a first."

"Shut up."

The mechanic smirked. "Take care... both of you."

On that note, Dante drove out of the garage and back onto the main street of the city, the breeze blowing their hair. Nero glanced over at the older man, blushing slightly when he observed how cool he looked with one arm resting on the driver's door and his other hand loosely gripping the steering wheel. His devil side purred again, feeling somewhat content sitting in the passenger seat beside such a fine figure of a man.

"So," Nero said, trying to distract himself. "I bet this cut a lot of your earnings."

Dante smirked. "Not at all. That guy will fix me up for free."

"How the hell did you manage that?"

"I saved him from demons once, so he promised to fix any of my vehicles for free if I ever needed it. It's a great deal too, because he's good at it," his smirk widened; _he was good in bed too._

"I bet you'd rather save the owner of a pizzeria."

"Hell yeah! Free pizza for a lifetime... sadly that opportunity hasn't come by of yet."

"I bet if it does you'll jump at the..."

But Nero trailed off as he saw something small and white land on the tip of his nose. Blinking in his confusion, he glanced upwards and saw to his amazement that instead of bringing rain, the heavy cloud cover had brought snow. He grinned broadly, sticking out his tongue to taste one of the icy flakes.

"Don't freeze your tongue off kid," Dante told him, shifting in his seat slightly as he felt his leather trousers become a little tighter.

"I haven't seen snow before," Nero replied, still grinning like a small child.

"What about Fortuna Castle? Plenty of snow and ice there."

"That was because of the demons, Dante. I mean proper snow; Fortuna was too warm for this kind of weather."

"I guess you like it, huh?"

Nero half giggled as a snowflake landed on his eyelashes, a crimson tinge appearing to his cheeks at the thought of making such an embarrassing sound. "It's pretty."

Dante had to laugh. "I never expected you to call something pretty!"

The kid glared at him. "You mean you don't like snow?"

"Sure I do; lots of demons come out to play in the snow!"

"Then let's go and find some!" Nero suggested, a sly smirk on his face as he turned to look at the elder. "I still haven't had a proper chance to show you that I can beat you. I think now's the perfect time."

Dante licked his lips; _you are such a little fireball!_ "Alright, you're on."

* * *

After returning to Devil May Cry to fetch their usual weaponry, they sped off immediately, both devil hunters enjoying the sensation of the snow against their faces. Nero had to grin again, resting his Devil Bringer on the passenger door and leaning back in the leather seat. It felt exceptionally invigorating and it certainly beat riding bitch on Dante's motorbike. So long as the snow didn't turn to rain, it would be a pleasant ride.

"I take it you prefer travelling like this?" the elder asked, breaking the silence.

"What do you think, old man," Nero replied with a roll of his eyes.

"Can you drive, kid?"

The younger shrugged. "No problem."

"Then when I take the bike on solo missions, you're welcome to take the car."

"Oh and what if _you_ take the car?"

Dante smirked. "Guess you're walking."

"If I catch you taking the car on purpose, I swear I'll kick your ass."

"If you live up to those punk ass little remarks of yours, I'll be impressed."

"Shut up; you'll be sorry when I really do kick your ass."

"Not in a millions years, kid."

Nero grumbled, knowing that he didn't have a chance in hell of winning an argument with Dante. He just seemed to know every comeback possible for any situation. Hopefully he'd finally get to show the sick pervert up when they came across some demons. As soon as they left the city behind, the teen glanced down at his right arm as it lit up a brilliant azure, warning him that demons were nearby. He grinned, flexing his glowing talons in anticipation.

"Looks like Frosts," Dante noted as he sensed a certain bitterness in the air.

"Fantastic!" Nero exclaimed. "Because I have something better that _you_ don't."

"Yeah, yeah, so you have your little glow stick. Big deal, you're still not as good as me."

"I'll show you a thing or two, asshole."

"Better keep up then, punk bitch."

The elder stuck his tongue out at the younger playfully and released the accelerator pedal on his car, gripped the metal door as it skidded to halt along the ice and narrowly missed clipping a wooden fence. Nero growled as he reached behind him to grab the hilt of Red Queen, jumping out of the car and getting a head start. Dante chuckled at the competitive streak showing in his little spitfire, ignoring the stirring between his legs as he glanced at the kid's ass when his denim coat blew out of the way. Grasping Rebellion from behind his seat, he took off after Nero, not wanting to miss out on all the action like the previous day.

Nero sprinted up the grassy embankment, having to fight the sudden burst of playfulness he felt at the sight of real snow. Grinning broadly, he worked on translating that feeling into the adrenalin rush he needed to bring down those Frosts before Dante. He saw four of them up ahead and his grin widened, his legs automatically forcing him to move faster so he could beat the elder hunter to the prize. He wanted to show him a thing or two.

"Don't get to cocky kid!" he heard Dante yell behind him.

"Whatever old man," Nero shouted back. "I'll cream these guys!"

He'd battled Frosts loads of times at the castle in Fortuna; just because he hadn't seen them for two months didn't mean he'd forgotten how to handle them. One of the demons ahead of him turned its head to stare at him, its tail flicking as it eyed up potential prey. Nero smirked as he saw its icy armour envelope its body, ignoring it in favour of the one sneaking up on his right. _Idiot should know better than to attack from that side_, the teen thought. He instantly raised his Devil Bringer, the ghostly form shooting out and grabbing the Frost by the head. Ice shattered as he slammed it hard into the ground before grabbing its tail, swinging it around his head a few times and hurling it towards its still encased partner.

However, before Nero could enjoy his little moment of victory, he heard the sound of rapid gunfire and a barrage of bullets sliced into the airborne devil. It screeched wildly as the bullets shattered the ice on its body, killing it quickly as it slammed into the icy shield of the second devil. The kid glared as he watched Dante leap onto the battlefield, his guns aimed at the target he had previously claimed as his own.

"Too slow kid," Dante taunted with a wink. "Better luck next time!"

"Do you ever play fair?" the ex-Order member exclaimed, pouting a little.

"Aw, I'm disappointed. I hoped you would know me well enough by now that you wouldn't need to ask such a question."

"Oh what a surprise!"

"But do you know what's best about my tactics?"

Nero went to reply, but a Frost shot in front of him, aiming to try and slice his head off with its icy tail. Out of the corner of his eye, he caught Dante attempting to take it down, but he smirked. He revved the handle of Red Queen, the blade instantly lighting up with burning flames as it sliced into the devil's side. It fell to the ground as Nero shoved it away with his sword, the heated blade doing enough damage to keep it from countering. He spun round so his back was facing the elder hunter, blocking his field of view so he couldn't steal his kill. With his Devil Bringer, the kid gripped its tail and hurled it at a nearby tree, its body shattering as it slammed into the trunk.

"In answer to your question," Nero spoke again, his facial expression a little smug. "No, I don't know what's best about your tactics."

Dante laughed as he pinned another Frost down with Rebellion. "I guess you wouldn't appreciate the trick, you're nowhere near experienced enough. So take a little time to learn from me on this outing. The trick is..."

The elder pulled the blade out of the ice demon's neck before quickly settling it on his back and drawing his guns. He leapt into the air and flipped over so he could look back down at the Frost, aiming Ebony and Ivory downwards. He spun round quickly in the air whilst firing a barrage of bullets into the defeated demon, Nero rolling his eyes at the display. Dante landed feet first on top of the Frost as its body slowly disintegrated into the frozen ground.

"The trick is," he repeated, a superior smirk gracing his handsome features. "Pulling off killer moves and looking stunningly sexy at the same time."

Nero sighed at the older man, shaking his head as the man ran his gloved fingers through his silvery mane. Why had he not expected him to say something like that? Both devil hunters looked towards the single tree on top of the hill, their similar blue eyes locking on to the last Frost. It spread its arms out either side of it, icicles forming around its sharp claws. It fired them all at Dante, much to Nero's delight as it gave him room to attack first. While the elder hunter was busy slicing down the projectiles, the younger sprinted forwards to attack the Frost from the side. Now was his chance to shine and show his moves.

The Frost stared him down, swinging out its tail but only to have it sliced off by Red Queen. Grinning broadly, Nero swung out his signature blade and caught it across the chest, hot flames coating its metal surface once again as he activated the Exceed System. He practically sliced the shocked devil in half before reaching up and grabbing its face with his Devil Bringer and hurling it down the slope. The Frost's broken body hit the ground and rolled down the embankment, large chunks of ice shattering on each impact. Dante side stepped the ball of ice, watching as it continued to roll until it exploded into several tiny shards. He chuckled and looked back at the young punk, who looked as though he'd just opened the best Christmas present ever.

"Not bad there kid," he told him. _Pretty damn sexy too..._

"I think I can say I won," Nero replied, grinning broadly.

"Only because I let ya."

"You have to ruin the moment, don't you?"

Dante spread his arms out, dramatically. "Of course!"

"You really suck, you know that?"

"Do I now?" the elder chuckled. "How would you know that?"

Nero blushed a deep crimson. "Pervert."

"Wanna find out how good I am at it?"

"Wanna find out how good my aim is?"

Dante winced slightly as he watched Nero's human hand reach for the handle of Blue Rose, dangerously. The kid however, merely chuckled at the expression on the elder's face before walking over to him and standing on the edge of the grassy bank. They could see the city from here; the sky was still dark with the thick grey cloud, but the snowfall wasn't getting any heavier. Nero smiled at the shadowy tower blocks of the concrete jungle; it was certainly his home now, no matter how much of a dump it was.

"Nice view," he said, contentedly. "We should drive out here more often."

"It looks even better at sunset," Dante replied.

"Maybe... but I've had enough of sunsets. They were all overrated at Fortuna."

The red clad hunter frowned at the saddened tone in the younger's voice. "Then I guess that's something I should correct."

When Nero turned his head took look at him, Dante couldn't help but raise a hand and lightly brush his cheek with it. His eyes stared deeply into the dark azure of the younger male's, watching the slight tint of loneliness wash away into something entirely different as he gazed back. The older man's gaze dropped until it settled on the teen's beautiful lips, a sudden want to kiss him surfacing to the front of his mind. In fact, he hadn't realised that his lips were almost touching those of the younger until he felt the kid shiver.

He pulled back immediately. "What is it Nero?" he asked.

"It seems a lot darker all of a sudden," Nero murmured.

Dante looked around, almost glad for the distraction in case he had actually ended up kissing the punk. Though he was right, it certainly was a lot darker, but it wasn't simply because the hours of daylight were less during the winter. He felt his devil side stir at the advancing darkness, his hand reaching for Rebellion on his back as his eyes fell on the tree at the top of the hill. It cast a long shadow out in front of it, but Dante was more concerned with the shadows inching their way down the slope from the top. It looked as though it was pitch black over the other side of the hill, something that was certainly not consistent even with such a heavy cover of low cloud. But the elder hunter didn't care to walk over to the tree and check, mostly in fear of him losing control of his devil side that was threatening to Trigger again.

"You said you had a plan Dante," Nero broke the silence, his voice a little shaky with fear. "I think now's the time to use it!"

"I'd stay back a bit, seeing as it's after you," Dante replied with a darker edge to his tone. "Don't do anything stupid."

"Listen, maybe I just have to convince it that I'm not a good mate, you know. I mean, Trish said Shadow Stalker's are benign, right? So, we don't want to kill it..."

"It's my job to kill it, Nero. You should let me take care of it."

The kid blinked, staring at the elder hunter nervously as he watched the copper ring around his pupil spread to his ice blue iris.

"Just don't Trigger on me, okay," Nero told him softly, hating having to back down from a fight. "Maybe with you around it might lose interest."

A smirk curled at the edges of Dante's lips, revealing sharp fangs. "That's the idea."

Nero glanced around, noticing that the shadow had crept around them as though to make sure they couldn't escape. _Why the hell am I so fucking interesting to some random demon, anyway?_ Both he and his devil side were more afraid of the Shadow Stalker, so why didn't it just take the hint and find someone else to play with? But he was torn from his thoughts again as he heard an inhuman growl next to him. The teen peered over his shoulder, beginning to feel nervous again when he realised the sound had originated from Dante. His eyes were completely red again and the hand gripping the hilt of Rebellion was partly Triggered already.

"I see you," Dante growled with a smirk, his eyes never leaving a spot behind the tree.

Nero flinched slightly, almost expecting the elder to leap towards the tree after the approaching shadow, but he still remained standing. Instead, a portal opened in the man's own shadow which made the kid move away from him quickly. The shadowy portal next to Dante soon formed into a man that looked exactly like him in every way, except for the black hair, darker skin and black clothes. His eyes were also the same blood red and he gripped a perfect copy of Rebellion in his hand.

"Long time no see," the double remarked. "You must be in trouble, hmm?"

"I didn't invite you out for a chat," Dante growled. "I need... you're just useful right now."

The doppelganger's smirk was akin to Dante's. "Sure you do..." he trailed off and cast a glance at Nero, licking his lips. "Care to introduce us?"

The elder glared at him. "You know what I need you for."

"Sure I do," he glanced into the shadows. "Shadow versus shadow, huh?"

"Then don't mess around; I need to know how to kill this thing."

Nero watched as Dante and his double both slowly approached the tree from both sides, their movements mirroring the other. He felt a little nervous now the protective warmth of the elder was gone, but he still felt safe. Strangely, his eyes didn't seem to be drawn into the shadows like they had been during his previous encounters with the stalker. He swallowed apprehensively, not knowing where to look as the shadows crept in closer on all sides. He assumed that whatever effects the demon had upon him disappeared whenever Dante reacted to it. If he could see what was going on, he would have used the chance to attack himself, but it was far too dark.

The teen glanced up at the sky, just about making out the patches of cloud in the darkness. Night was beginning to draw in and everything seemed so much colder than it was before, making Nero shiver. It was only then that he realised he was so enveloped in the shadows that he could no longer see Dante and his doppelganger. He shook his head, trying to ignore the feelings of wanting to Trigger so he could run away, preferably into Dante's strong, protective arms... _damn it Nero, now isn't the time to be thinking of that!_

"Watch out kid!"

Nero spun round on his heel, trying to figure out where the elder's voice had come from. His eyes settled on a dark patch ahead of him and he felt something heading his way. He immediately dived to the ground to protect himself, feeling something cold brush past his arms that encircled his head. He didn't dare look up as he heard a high pitched shriek and the feel of something slimy splatter onto the bare flesh of his human arm.

"Shit," he heard Dante growl. "It got away."

Shaking a little, partly from the shock of not knowing what was going on, Nero slowly sat up and looked around. As quickly as the darkness had arrived, it had vanished and the scenery of the grassy fields outside the city returned to him. He hazarded a glance at his left arm, wrinkling his nose at the black ooze dripping down to his fingers.

"What the heck is this?" he asked, trying to wipe it off on his jeans.

"That Shadow Stalker can take physical form when it needs to," Dante explained. "I managed to entice it out of the shadows, but it's fucking quick. I didn't get to see it much, but I landed a blow with Doppelganger before it took off."

"Yeah, it nearly took me with it!"

"You'd better get him home," Dante's double noted. "That thing will be able to scent the kid out now its blood's all over him. Just be careful, you're dangerously close."

Nero blinked, wondering what the doppelganger meant but he didn't have any time to ask before he disappeared into Dante's shadow. The elder part devil grasped him by both arms and yanked him to his feet, growling under his breath as he glared at the black stain left on the younger man's arm. He reached out to touch it, feeling the urge to tear the skin off and remove the mark the Shadow Stalker had placed on Nero. _His_ Nero... _his mate_.

"Damn it Dante," Nero pulled his arm away. "You're acting weird."

"Am I?" the elder replied.

Nero felt his breath hitch as the fingers on Dante's other hand caressed the red hide of his Devil Bringer. He noticed the red tint still in his eyes and he felt something was wrong... but his devil side certainly didn't see it that way. The teen mentally shook his head, ignoring the purring of his demon half in favour for snatching his bringer away from Dante's enticing fingers.

"Let's go back to the office," Nero told him. "I can clean up then."

Dante blinked, feeling the haze in his head begin to clear. "Sure kid, good plan."

He walked by Nero, heading down the grassy verge to where his car was still parked. The younger hunter sighed, glancing down at his demonic arm as he felt it tingling from the elder's gentle touch. Dante was hiding something from him, there was no doubt about that and it was related to his need to Trigger around the shadow demon. He narrowed his eyes and headed off after him; he had no choice but to confront him about it when they got back to the office, even though he had the impression Dante would start acting strange again.

* * *

_I hope the bit with the use of Doppelgänger was okay... naughty Dante! XP - stay tuned and I'll try to write as quickly as I can!_


	11. Grave Misunderstandings

_Sorry it's late this time, but my last four days have been busy at Alcon (yaoi panel was fantastic!) and it was a load of fun! But I'm back now!_

_**Kendecia:** Thanks for the review! Glad you enjoyed Dante and his naughtiness (there will be more!)_

_**VioletIsInPain:** Thank you for reviewing, glad you liked the use of Doppelganger there! Dante is the alpha of alphas XD_

_**Lt. Sarcasm:** Thanks for reviewing! Yeah, Nero is just a demon magnet!_

_**SirenaLoreley:** Thanks for the review! Glad I surprised you with Doppelganger, I love seeing him in elder form and he definitely knows Dante's feelings! XP – and you're so right about Dante!_

_**Bitbyboth:** Thank you for reviewing! It's always fun to get Dante into embarrassing situations and yeah, Nero is still the clueless uke! XD_

_**TheRealAkuRoku:** Thanks for the review, glad you haven't disappeared yet! *hugs back*_

_**BattleGoddess126:** Thanks for reviewing, that was an image I just couldn't resist! Dante is a poser lol XD_

_**Honeyberries:** Thank you for the review and yeah, Doppelganger is very hot!_

_**KawaiiYue:** Thanks for reviewing, glad you're enjoying it! Car man is a lucky man :3 – and I just love using Doppelganger, so much fun!_

_**Semjaza:** Thank you for the review! I'm glad you're enjoying all aspects of it, especially plot and writing style. I do prefer writing Dante as openly gay, it's good to hear that's okay! Always good to know I'm keeping the character's in character too (especially with my insecure/clueless Nero fetish lol)_

_Loads of reviews, you people are awesome! *hands out cookies* - No real warnings here, except for men being idiots! Enjoy!_

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**Chapter 11 – Grave Misunderstandings**

Dante never said word to him on the drive back to Devil May Cry, which only heightened Nero's worries about him. He hated the small part of himself that had actually been afraid of the older man when he'd seen his eyes like that, as though he were going to Trigger violently. But what confused him the most was the way his devil side had reacted; it welcomed Dante's advances and had even been aroused by them. Nero shivered inwardly, glancing down at the red armour plating on his demonic arm as he recalled the elder's gentle touch. That had been the first time Dante had acted strange around him and it was surely no coincidence that it happened after an attempted attack on the Shadow Stalker.

When the red convertible pulled up in front of the office, Dante was quick to head in through the double doors, still without saying anything to Nero. The teen sat in the passenger seat, puzzled at the man's actions and getting the distinct feeling that he was trying to avoid him. Sighing deeply, part in worry and part in frustration, he got out of the car and entered the office, instantly spying the elder hunter sitting at his old oak desk with his feet up. Nero was cautious as he approached him, trying to shake off his demon half as it whispered to him, telling him to forget about the shadow demon and jump the man he lusted after. The kid stopped on that thought; _do I really lust after Dante?_

"You should get cleaned up," the older part devil told him. "I can still smell its blood on you."

Nero raised an eyebrow. "You can?" he asked, not being able to smell it himself.

"Yeah, so hurry up."

"But maybe if it does come back, we can get rid of it."

"I told you already, the one to get rid of it will be me... and by 'get rid' I mean kill."

Dante didn't look at Nero once while he spoke to him, his eyes glued to the cover of one of his tasteless Playboy magazine. The teen curled up the talons of his devil arm, a bright azure glow emanating from it as he felt jealousy boil in his blood.

"There is seriously something wrong with you, Dante," he grumbled.

"I guess I'm just a little overworked," the elder replied.

"Damn it old man, you know there's something wrong! Why the hell can't you just admit that to me and tell me why you react so strongly to that Shadow Stalker. The fucking thing is after me, not you!"

"I'd really go and get cleaned up if I were you, kid."

Nero felt the jealousy instantly replaced with rage, his teeth grinding together behind his lips. The bastard could be so infuriating at times. Glaring harshly, the younger man swiped the magazine off the surface of the desk with his right hand, his claws tearing into the shiny pages. He looked at it with disgust before turning the glare on Dante, who was still refusing to look at him. He wanted answers and he wanted them now.

"I wish you wouldn't keep things from me!" he exclaimed.

Dante sighed. "And I wish you'd listen to me sometimes."

"I will go and get cleaned up, but I want answers first. You were going to explain to Trish why your devil side kept reacting to the Shadow Stalker, but you were interrupted and didn't get the chance to finish. Tell me now old man, what's wrong?"

"I can't answer that right now."

"Why not? Why can't I know what's wrong?"

"Because I don't think you'll like the answer."

Nero stared at him for a moment. "You think that's important? Whether I like it or not, I still need to know!"

He watched as Dante turned his head to look at him, azure meeting ice blue for the first time during the conversation. He felt his breath hitch as he saw a seductive smirk curl its way to the elder's lips, the copper ring returning to his pupil. Nero blushed as he heard his own demon side purring again at the scent rising from the other male's body. Arousal. He jumped slightly as Dante pushed back in his chair, the wooden legs scraping across the hardwood floor. Before he knew it, he had completely reduced the distance between them and crushed their lips together. Nero's eyes widened at the sensation, his sharp hearing picking up the deep growls rumbling in his throat as he ran his tongue along the seam of his lips.

He managed to stop himself from groaning as he felt the other man's arousal rub against him through their trousers, his mind questioning why Dante was hard for _him_. The teen gasped as he felt one of the elder's hands drop and trail down his back to grope his ass, his fingers rubbing teasingly. He shoved the larger male away from the shock, his inner demon growling at him furiously and demanding he let Dante have his way with him. The elder breathed heavily, his eyes closed and fingers pinching the bridge of his nose as he leaned back against the old oak desk. Nero stared at him, his eyes still wide from the suddenness of his advances.

"Sorry Nero," Dante murmured. "Guess I am dangerously close."

The kid continued to stare for a moment, taking in what the elder had said. "W-What do you..." he began, but he was still confused. "Is all this to do with your reaction to the Shadow Stalker? The reason why you want to Trigger?"

"I am half demon, after all."

"Could you please just... tell me out straight?"

Dante sighed. "That shadow demon isn't the only guy that wants to mate with you right now and because of that, it sees me as competition, the same way _I_ see _it_ as competition. When I react to it, I want to fight it in order to claim you as my mate; that's why I need to Trigger."

Nero's jaw nearly hit the floor. "S-Seriously?"

"That's why I suggest you clean up. I can smell that devil on you and it makes me... it makes me angry that it tried to mark you. If you go somewhere I can't smell you, then maybe I'll be able to kill this thing before I lose all my control around you."

Nero released a shaky breath, closing his eyes at Dante's sudden confession. At least that explained why his devil side kept acting up, but it still didn't answer all his questions. Was it all of Dante that felt this way? Or was he still hoping for the impossible?

"How long?" he asked, quietly. "How long have you felt that way?"

Dante was silent for a few moments. "It's just my devil side, kid; and only since the night when I saw it outside the office, not before then."

The teen felt a horrible ache in his chest, not wanting to hear that it was just because of another demon. He shouldn't have expected anything else. After all, they were just good friends and nothing else; not lovers. Though Nero felt an array of different emotions for the elder, there had never really been any chance that those feelings would be returned.

"That's it then, huh?" he whispered.

Dante glanced at him. "What do you mean?"

"It's only to do with this shadow demon then? In other words, once it leaves me alone, you'll have no more reactions to me, right?"

The elder blinked. "Nero, I..."

"Forget it Dante! I should have figured that it would be this way, regardless to how close our relationship seemed to grow. After all, I could never really get a good feeling about you and perhaps I had high hopes and read too much into things. Damn it, why the hell do you have to be so annoying? Why do you have to tease me so much?"

"What are you talking about kid? I don't..."

"First it was the gay porn channels, then you flirt with some woman who called us out for a demon problem. You have gay magazines hidden in your drawers upstairs, but here you are staring at some topless chick like some stupid..."

"Damn it kid, will you listen to me!"

"Fuck you Dante!" Nero couldn't control his own voice anymore, or the tears that welled up in his eyes. "You've just been playing with me all along!"

"Kid!" he shouted after the younger hunter, but he had already ran out of the heavy double doors. "Nero!"

But he was already out of ear shot and had no intention of answering him anyway. Dante closed his eyes and hid his face in his hands, realising that he'd misunderstood Nero's question. Initially, he had thought he was asking how long his devil side had been reacting to the Shadow Stalker, not about his own feelings. However, it was pretty much his own fault; if he had actually told Nero he was gay in the first place, the teen wouldn't have ran away from him. He should have known he'd screw up somehow. The only consolation he had was that he knew the younger hunter had feelings for him. _Damn it I'm so fucking stupid!_

"Shit!" Dante cursed, slamming his fist against his desk.

* * *

Nero didn't really know where he was running to, especially with his weapons still in place. All he knew was that he had no intention of returning to Devil May Cry. Even though he had been so comfortable with Dante, he should have expected things to end like this. The illusion of feeling at home with the guy had been shattered by heartbreak in an instant, leaving nothing but a hollow shell of the emotions he felt before. _Though I'll need to go back for my stuff before I move on_, Nero thought as he finally stopped running and leaned against the closest brick wall. He closed his eyes and tried to slow his breathing, tears still trickling down his cheeks. _Damn it, here I am crying like a girl when some demon's after me..._

"Nero?" asked a woman's voice.

The teen jumped at that, his eyes opening and his left hand instantly reaching for Blue Rose. However, his gaze eventually fell upon one of the women he'd met at the office. The brunette frowned at him, titling down her shades to stare intently at him with mismatched eyes.

"Has it been raining?" she enquired. "Or have you been..."

"Crying; yeah, whatever," Nero grumbled. "What are you doing out here?"

"Hmm, be fortunate that you seem upset about something or else I'd be a bit unhappy with you for using that tone of voice," Lady tapped the barrel of one of her many guns. "I'll ignore it in favour of asking you what happened, though I already know Dante has to be involved. Only he could make a guy like you cry."

The kid glared at her. "It's nothing I make a habit of, you know."

"You have some guts snapping at me like that... what does Dante call you? Kid, isn't it?"

"If you start calling me that I'll kick your ass after I've done with him!"

She smirked. "Now I see why he likes you; you're exactly his type."

"What do you mean he _likes_ me?"

"Figures," Lady sighed. "I take it he hasn't told you?"

"Told me what? All he's told me is that the Shadow Stalker makes his devil side horny!"

The devil huntress blinked at him for a moment before laughing. "Oh you really are as naive as you look, aren't you? Trish said you were a cute little thing and she really meant it! That selfish bastard really got himself a good catch for a change."

"Is this some kind of in-joke, because I don't get it?"

"Okay, I'll get back to that later. So why did you run away in this state?"

"Why should I tell you?"

"Because it can't simply be because Dante was being his usual self; he always acts like an asshole, so you should be used to it by now... therefore it must be something personal."

Nero blushed slightly, deciding to give in and talk. "I only wanted to ask him why he was acting strange; it was about the Shadow Stalker, so I felt I needed to know. When he said his demon side considered it as competition, I asked him how long he'd felt like wanting... like wanting me as a mate. He said it was only because of the demon, so naturally I..."

"You're in love with him, aren't you?"

His blush deepened in response to her interruption. "Is it that obvious?"

"Yes, considering him telling you that hurt you."

"It's stupid, isn't it? Having a crush on a guy like him... it's just..."

"Natural, Nero. It's just natural..." she trailed off and shook her head, lightly patting him on the shoulder. "He maybe an conceited asshole but, at the end of the day, it's people like that who are most liked. Nobody's perfect, especially Dante, but we'd all hate him if he were someone different. You just can't not like him."

"But... the first time we met, I tried to kill him!"

The brunette chuckled. "That's how the best loves start, by trying to kill someone."

Nero stared at her for a moment. "Are you trying to make me feel better or something?"

"No, I just know what it feels like. I tried to kill Trish when we first met, but now..." she chuckled again. "There's more than one reason why she moved out of Devil May Cry, other than the fact living with Dante drove her crazy."

"Really? You and Trish?"

"Is it that hard to believe?"

"Well... I originally thought you were Dante's..."

She laughed, beginning to enjoy the conversation more than she expected. "You really are clueless, aren't you? You think that Dante likes us in that way? For starters, he's just a good friend to me and Trish sees him almost like a son. That and we're completely the wrong gender."

"But..."

"Nero, I'm sure you've had plenty of inner arguments with yourself regarding your feelings for him and if he has them for you but... come on, he's about as gay as they come. I knew he was like that the first time I met him and that was about ten years ago when he was a stuck up, miserable little kid!"

Nero looked down at his feet, beginning to feel even more like an idiot. "Then why does he act so flirty with women?"

"He doesn't; they flirt with him and he just plays along until he can get out of it and find a pizza place or some cute guy to take home. It's just the way he is, Nero. That and he thinks being gay is bad for his business and, knowing this place, he's probably right. Thinking about it though, I have won my bet with Trish now."

The teen raised a silvery eyebrow. "Bet?"

"I told her that Dante would screw up when it came down to you and I was right!"

"You've been making bets with that kind of stuff?"

"Oh yeah, we do that all the time! Trish and I constantly have bets on the number of men Dante would bring home in a night, or what the guy would look like, or..." she trailed off, smiling at the look of irritation in Nero's azure eyes. "Don't get jealous okay. The guy's a man whore, he openly admits that after half a dozen cans of beer! He'd also openly admit that he'd never met a guy like you before and from him, that's deep."

Nero rubbed the side of his nose. "Did he honestly say that?"

"He barely stopped talking about you when he came back from Fortuna, not that he would admit that whilst sober mind you."

"Damn it!" he slammed his fist into the wall behind him, the force from his demonic arm knocking off a few chips of masonry. "I just... I think he even tried to explain something, but I... I refused to listen to him! Fuck I'm such an idiot!"

"You both are. Guess that's why you're perfect for each other."

The younger hunter snorted, wiping some of the standing tears away from his eyes. "You know, I always thought you'd be some tight bitch when Dante said you always take his money. But you really are pretty thoughtful."

"Thoughtful enough not to shoot you for that, yes."

He blushed again. "Heh, sorry. I was always taught to be honest."

"Anyway, what else did Dante say about me?"

"Err..." Nero paused, trying to think over his words. "I don't think..."

"Never mind, I don't need an excuse to shoot him in the foot anyway."

"Trigger happy, huh?"

"You bet I am and I assure you, I won't go easy on you in the future."

Nero smiled. "Thanks, Lady. I kind of expected to be on my own with all this, you're a big help. I really should have known more about Dante before I shouted my ass off at him."

"You were right to do so Nero, don't blame it on yourself. It was his fault for not telling you everything from the start. The bastard probably just wanted to have a bit of fun with you and it just got out of hand. That's his problem; he's fine with men he just wants to fuck, but when it comes to something serious he can't deal with it."

"Does that mean I..." his cheeks heated up again. "Am I the first guy he's really been serious about?"

"Well, he does get around a lot, but I don't know if I can say that for certain. From when I met him, he's never had a lover, but I don't know about before then because he doesn't say much. If you want to know stuff like that, you have to ask him, not me."

Nero sighed. "I hope I didn't piss him off."

"I doubt it," Lady smirked and pushed her shades back into place. "But I have to run; I had a mission and I'm due a healthy pay check! Plus I have someone to get back to... like you do."

"What should I say to him?"

She shook her head. "Sorry, but I'm not gonna help with that. You're on your own there."

On that note, she walked past the teen and down the street to where her black motorbike was parked. Nero watched her leave, feeling very relieved after their conversation. He smiled to himself, glancing down at his Devil Bringer that pulsed a faint blue. With this arm, he'd never had any friends and those who weren't scared of him hated him. He had often thought that Dante was the only one who'd ever really care for him, but that wasn't the case at all. The feeling of knowing he had friends who would be there for him was unknown to him and, because of that, there had been some misunderstandings. He still had a lot to learn.

"Guess we both screwed up, Dante," Nero murmured to himself.

Sighing, Nero pushed away from the wall and headed back home, but he stopped by the entrance to an alleyway as he heard a loud metallic bang. He stared into the narrow passageway, just about managing to make out the shapes of a few metal trash cans. He raised his Devil Bringer to shine a little bit of azure light into the darkness, but he almost lost his footing as a black and white cat flashed by with a yowl. Nero closed his eyes and leaned against the wall, his human hand resting on his chest as he fought to catch his breath.

However, he soon opened his eyes again when he heard another crash, only to see one of the trash cans sail past him. He reached for the hilt of Red Queen with his human hand as he stood ready, glaring into the dimly lit passageway. He backed off slightly as something black floated towards him, wondering whether it was the shadow demon again. His suspicions were thankfully wrong as Nero saw the wavy black cloak belonging to a Mephisto and its slender talons come into view. The teen grinned broadly, flexing the claws of his demonic arm and realising he'd been doing that a lot recently. Maybe he really was finally comfortable with it.

"You picked the wrong time to come out and play, pal," he taunted.

The Mephisto turned its head to look at him, floating over to him and aiming its longer claw in his direction. Nero dodged the extended finger as it shot towards him, managing to chip off a piece of brick work with the end of his sword. He started snatching at the demon's cloak, slowly stripping away the strange mist before it managed to hide inside the nearest building. It's frail body fell to the ground and Nero instantly jumped in for the kill, slicing it in half easily with his signature blade. He smirked, feeling satisfied at how easily he could deal with lesser devils now.

"Anyone else?" he asked the darkness, hoping for a decent fight to come his way.

His wish was soon granted as he saw further movement in the alleyway, a larger object slowly gliding into view. Nero chuckled to himself, waiting with anticipation as the Faust hovered above the remains of its fallen comrade. Without wasting any time, the demon instantly pointed its long fingers at the teen, extending many of them towards him at once. The young hunter easily dodged all of them, almost as though it were just a game for him.

"I think I'm getting too good!" he smirked, wishing that Dante was around so he could show him up. "I'd show that ass a thing or two..."

He trailed off on that note, a pang of guilt hitting him in the chest as he recalled the argument he'd had with older slayer. He was out here having a good time fighting a few stray demons, while Dante was probably hurt by the things he'd said. Unfortunately, the kid had chosen an inappropriate time to drift off into his thoughts. A sharp stab of pain coursed through his human arm and he looked down at it, seeing that an extended red talon of the Faust had sliced straight through the muscle of his forearm, narrowly missing the bone.

"Crap," he groaned.

He tripped over as the devil's claw withdrew itself from his flesh, the hand of his devil arm immediately applying pressure to the wound as it healed. Nero glanced up at the Faust as it slowly made its way towards him, preparing to attack him again. Cursing, he rolled away to the side and dodged a few more attacks, having to leave Red Queen behind. However, before the demon could attack him again, the air suddenly became a lot colder and the streetlamps gradually dimmed. Nero felt his heart begin to race, the feeling all too familiar as his eyes focused on the dark alleyway behind his foe.

Unexpectedly, the Faust also turned away from Nero to gaze into the foreboding darkness creeping along the narrow passage. Completely ignoring the young hybrid, it floated towards the advancing shadow, its talons flexing as though it wanted to attack. Nero took the opportunity to scramble to his feet and retrieve Red Queen, his concentration still on the darkness in front of him. With a flash of red, the Faust shot its extendable fingers into the pitch black shadow, the dull crunch suggesting it had missed its target and found concrete. As quickly as it had attacked, the Faust found itself engulfed by the darkness that spread out of the alleyway, thin strips of shadow streaking across the brick walls. Nero took several steps back, watching as the brief shape of a strong body pulled the Faust into its shadow and disappeared.

_Shit, guess it healed pretty quickly_, Nero thought, watching for any sign of the Faust returning out of the shadow. However, as the tendrils of darkness edged their way towards his feet, the teen knew it was dead. Strapping his sword to his back, he quickly ran off into the night, noticing that the orange glow from the streetlamps became steadily brighter the further he travelled from the alleyway. He had expected that the Shadow Stalker would show up again, but he certainly hadn't expected it to kill another demon. _Guess it wanted to protect me..._ though the thought wasn't overly appealing, it did fit with his situation. After its run in with Dante and Doppelganger, the shadow demon was clearly no longer intent on playing fair. _You'd better be able to deal with it old man, because if it mates with me, I'll take great pleasure in killing you!_

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Nero got his ass saved by a random demon... snicker... more on the way, updates will be quicker! (only two chappies left)  
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	12. Prizes to be Claimed

_Hurry for faster update! Again, thanks to all who review/favourite so many! *gives cookies*_

_**Kendecia: **Thanks for reviewing! It is kind of sweet, any demon would want to protect someone it wants to mate with (even bad ones!) XD_

_**VioletIsInPain:** Thank you for reviewing and you are quite right, Nero is a dumbass! He really should think before he acts at times, but does he ever? XP_

_**KawaiiYue:** Thanks for the review! The kid does always need saving, guess that's why he needs a mate... he'll make up with Dante soon! XP_

_**Bitbyboth:** Thank you for the review! Dante is the master at screwing things up when it comes to love, silly man! I like to have Lady being nice, she does care even if it's normally shown with a bullet to the head XD_

_**Zack Hewley:** Thanks for the review, so glad you like it so far! Things have certainly been set in motion and they both know it now!_

_**SirenaLoreley:** Thanks for reviewing! Dante is the king of royal screw ups XD – Nero was just begging to be chased again here! And you shall definitely find out how Fortuna is doing in the end!_

_**TheRealAkuRoku:** Thank you for the review and good to see you're still here! Glad you enjoyed it!_

_**Tigerfussel:** Thanks for reviewing,, glad you're enjoying it so far I like to write slow developing plots! Got to love DxN romance!_

_**Honeyberries:** Thank you for the review! Hehe, you'll soon get what you hope for (and Nero) XD_

_**Semjaza:** Thanks for the review! Glad you liked Lady there, I do have fun writing her character!_

_**Kruspe12:** Thank you for reviewing! That's Nero, he has no idea that Dante likes him (he should take lessons from his devil side) – he needs a good man to love him!_

_Penultimate chapter now, which means warnings time. Graphic yaoi, which means man/devil sex... but you all know that, so enjoy!_

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**Chapter 12 – Prizes to be Claimed**

Nero continued to run through the dark streets of the town, his lungs on fire and his legs threatening to give way beneath him. His entire body was beginning to feel heavier and he wanted to just collapse in a heap and give up, but his devil side forced him to continue running, wanting to be in Dante's strong arms. Persisting with the increasingly difficult task, the part devil ran round a corner and was instantly faced with another Mephisto.

"Shit," he cursed. "You really picked a bad time!"

However, the Mephisto seemed uninterested in him, even when he attempted to snatch off its misty cloak with his Bringer. Nero ducked low as the demon glided over his head, heading off in the direction the ex-Order member had come from. He saw the thick black shadow streak across the ground from behind a building, catching the Mephisto off guard. It attempted to attack the advancing shadow, but it only succeeded in being engulfed by darkness and most likely killed. The teen took a step back, the surroundings becoming increasingly colder. Letting his adrenalin fuel his aching body, he sprinted away from his pursuer, desperate to get home.

"You sure are a damn hot headed demon," he muttered to himself.

The Shadow Stalker hadn't caught up with him by the time Nero saw the bright neon sign for Devil May Cry. He peered of his shoulder, not seeing anything suspicious, but he certainly felt something ominous threatening to loom up behind him. He cursed under his breath again, hoping with all his might that Dante would be in the office. Once he got to the double doors, he flung them wide open and dashed inside, making sure to lock them even though he knew it wouldn't do a damn bit of good. He turned around, his breathing heavy after the time spent running, but the older man wasn't sitting at his desk.

"Dante! " he yelled. "Dante! Are you here? DANTE!"

"Huh, kid?" the elder man's head appeared from behind the bar. "You're back?"

"Err... what are you doing over there?"

"Just having a nap."

Nero glanced suspiciously at the screwed up cans of beer littering the wooden floor surrounding the bar before looking back at Dante. He felt his heart ache when he saw that the man's ice blue orbs were slightly bloodshot and his white hair a bit of a mess. It was enough to make him forget about the shadow demon chasing him, especially seeing as it was his fault that he was in this condition.

"Dante," he murmured. "I... I need to say that..."

But before he could finish what he wanted to say, the windows shattered behind him, sending shards of glass cascading across hardwood. He yelped loudly and ran towards the bar, catching Dante around the waist with his arms as the older man got to his feet and stepped away from the wooden counter.

"Crap I forgot!" the teen exclaimed. "That Shadow Stalker showed up again and it followed me all the way back here. I was fighting a Faust and it actually killed it so it could get to me."

"Must want you pretty bad then," Dante growled.

"I don't think it's going to go down without a fight, Dante."

"Good, because I'll give it one."

The elder wasted no time, instantly reaching for Rebellion that was resting on the surface of the bar and summoning his double from his shadow. The dark version of Dante stood behind Nero with a copy of Rebellion on his back, resting both gloved hands on the kid's shoulders. He looked back into the red eyes of Doppelganger, his smirk unnerving him somewhat.

"Guess I'll be taking care of you both again," he purred, stroking Nero's cheek.

"Just help me finish this thing," Dante turned to glare at him.

"It'll be tough to kill you know," Doppelganger began, his fingers threading through Nero's soft white locks. "The instant it gets away and hides in the shadows, it can heal faster than you can. I should be able to restrain it, but if it gets a chance to heal, it'll overpower me easily."

"You don't need to kill it, just hold it back long enough."

The double raised an eyebrow. "So, you're going ahead with it then?"

Dante paused for a moment, his eyes returning to the broken windows. "Yes."

"Going ahead with what?" Nero asked, trying to slap away the hands of Dante's double, but to no avail. "You have a plan to get rid of it?"

"Oh he does," Doppelganger purred, lowering his head to nuzzle the teen below the ear. "I think you might like what he..."

Before he could continue, Dante grasped his double by the collar of his leather shirt and pulled him away from Nero, bringing them face to face. He glared at him, his eyes flashing red as he tried to hold back his Devil Trigger.

"I'm losing patience with you," he growled.

Doppelganger chuckled darkly. "Am I not allowed to have any fun around here?"

"Not where Nero is concerned, we discussed this."

"Aw, you're mean."

The double leaned forwards and licked Dante's cheek, pulling back quickly with a snicker before he tempted the older man into tossing him over the bar. Nero shook his head, not being surprised that the double was so perverted; if everything Dante had was his as well, that had to include personality. However, the pair were quickly distracted by the lights in the office dimming, creating a frigid atmosphere. They watched as an eerie darkness crept in through the windows, streaks of black shadow crawling along the walls and expanding to every surface they could touch. Nero shivered, wanting to inch closer to Dante's warmth for protection, but he knew it would only distract him from whatever he wanted to do.

"Stay back Nero," Dante warned. "Get behind the desk or something."

The kid nodded, not arguing with the man as he cautiously approached the old oak desk, eyes never leaving the oncoming shadows. Dante and his double stepped in front of the desk, blocking his view of the danger and making him feel slightly safer. His eyes roamed around the room, picking out all the shadows in the corners of the ceiling and noticing that he could no longer see the fans. He took another step back, nearly tripping over the chair; he almost wanted to hide under the table and make himself appear as small as possible. It was an unusual feeling, as he was normally ready to jump headlong into a fight, but this time he felt it was sensible to back down.

"Careful kid!"

With wide eyes, Nero spun round on his heal just in time to see the shadow that was spread across the wall behind him. Not really knowing what he was doing, he vaulted over the desk away from it, hearing the sound of the wooden chair smashing behind him. He looked down at his boot, seeing a black mark on the heel that almost looked like a burn. He glanced up at Dante, who was glaring at the mark with deep crimson eyes and looking dangerous.

"Don't lose it old man!" Nero shouted at him, but he knew that he was too late.

With an inhuman growl, Dante Triggered in a violent flash of red and leapt over the desk, sinking his claws into a dark figure shrouded by the shadow. The teen saw sharp black talons tear into the red flesh on the elder's back before dragging him into the mass of darkness behind it. Nero stared at it, rubbing his eyes but still unable to see the other hunter in his devil form.

"Shit, I can't see anything!" Nero exclaimed, beginning to panic.

"Luckily for him, I can," Doppelganger replied.

"Can you go after him?"

"I can't last long in the demon's shadow, I can only attack when it's lured out."

"So that's what Dante's doing? Luring it out?"

"I don't..."

There was loud crash behind the bar, Nero almost jumping a mile and cowering behind Doppelganger. He saw a brief flash of Dante's devil form, followed by a high pitch scream and a sickening crack. A dark flash darted out from behind the bar and disappeared behind the leather couch, leaving a trail of black blood on the wooden floor. Dante remained behind the bar, half hidden in the shadows and his glowing eyes scanning the room for any sudden movement. After a few moments of waiting, a quick flash of darkness appeared to the side of the elder half devil, a shape that almost looked liked talons reaching for him.

Dante grasped the sharp hand and thrust Rebellion into the darkness, but he didn't appear to strike anything. At the same moment, he was pulled to the floor from his feet, Nero hearing his yell in apparent pain. Without thinking, he made to run towards the bar, but was only hit with splintered wood as the front panel was destroyed. Still Triggered, Dante was thrown from the bar with his own blade embedded in his gut, a thin trail of blood marking his path. The shadow immediately formed up behind him again, but the elder was ready this time. He yanked Rebellion free from his thick red hide and stabbed it into the ground, a dull squishing sound indicating he hit something this time.

Nero narrowed his eyes, trying to make out the form of the Shadow Stalker, but it was too dark to see. All he could make out was a powerful looking form and sharp talons, but nothing else because it moved too quickly. He watched as Dante reached into the shadow with his free hand, grabbed onto something and slammed it hard into the ground. The shadow demon appeared to be fighting back as Dante withdrew Rebellion and was knocked away slightly. His blade was dripping with thick, black ooze, making the teen feel even more helpless at not being able to fight.

"Over there!" Doppelganger shouted, suddenly.

He pointed towards the shadowy form of the red leather sofa next to the pool table, Dante instantly getting the hint. Nero watched as the Triggered hunter leapt across the room into the darkness, knocking over the couch in the process. There was another high pitch scream, this time slightly choked as if the elder had actually bitten into its throat. Dante was immediately tossed backwards into the second sofa, Nero suddenly realising that the Shadow Stalker had a clear line of sight towards him. He stepped backwards, trying to pull Red Queen from his back but he fumbled and dropped the heavy blade to the floor.

"Shit," he cursed, instantly reaching for Blue Rose instead.

But the shadow wasn't intent on waiting for him, the darkness already creeping towards him and the powerful figure beginning to immerge. However, before it could get anywhere, Doppelganger blocked its path towards the teen, reaching out and seizing one clawed hand. He swiftly pulled it down, jumping into the air and twisting round so the shadow demon was under him. He pinned it to the ground by both of its black hands, impaling his copy of Rebellion at a point behind him. Nero couldn't see where the demon had been impaled, but he certainly caught site of its blood seeping into the floorboards. Even though it was pinned down, all he could see were the clawed hands and the top of Doppelganger's torso.

"Heh, bingo!" Dante's double chuckled.

"Maybe I should finish it off," Nero said, taking Blue Rose from her holster.

"I wouldn't try; you'll probably just shoot me instead."

"Then what..."

He was interrupted when he felt a clawed hand rest heavily on his shoulder and the smell of arousal go straight to his head. He was rooted to the spot as he felt a hot tongue against the back of his ear, licking it tenderly before sharp fangs bit down hard enough to draw blood. Nero moaned as he felt the tongue lick the wound clean before a nose nuzzled his soft hair. Before he could attempt to respond, he was momentarily distracted as the Shadow Stalker struggled to break free from Doppelganger, only to have Rebellion pushed deeper into it.

"Hurry it up you two," the double ordered. "I can't hold him down forever."

"Hurry up what?" asked Nero.

But the question was soon answered for him when he was spun round by strong arms and lips instantly crashed against his. The teen struggled in Dante's powerful embrace, but the action only seemed to turn the Triggered hunter on even more. He groaned as his lip was bitten sharply, hot tongue lapping up the spilt crimson liquid greedily. The scent of the elder's arousal became intoxicating and Nero found himself quickly aroused himself, especially with his devil side begging for what Dante was offering. Dante seemed to sense his submission and he instantly licked at his lips, forcing his tongue inside the teen's sweet cavern. The kid groaned again, his hands moving to caress the armoured flesh on the elder's chest, his Devil Bringer scratching deeply enough to draw thin rivulets of blood. The red devil growled lustfully, enjoying the stab of pain from sharp blue talons and the pleasure of the younger male's tongue massaging his own.

Nero's eyes slowly slid shut as he melted into the kiss, completely forgetting that it was only Dante's demonic side that was conscious and that he had just been claimed through a battle to decide who could mate with him. In fact, he had even forgotten about the argument they'd had earlier; all he cared about was how much he desired this right now and it wasn't just his devil half. He encircled the elder's neck in his arms, not protesting as he felt clawed hands grasp his buttocks and lift him up until he wrapped his legs around his waist. He was carried over to the old oak desk and sat on the edge while Dante continued to ravage his mouth with the deep, passionate kiss. Before long, his denim coat had been slipped off over his shoulders and both his red hoodie and navy undershirt tossed aside.

"Dante," Nero moaned as warm hands fondled his ass.

The red devil lowered his head to lick at his chest, flicking a pert nipple with his tongue and gently nibbling the pebbled nub. The teen gasped at the sensation, his eyes snapping shut and the claws of his demonic arm grasping the back of Dante's head. His back arched towards the older male as one of his hands slid round to the front of his body and palmed his growing erection. As he moaned the elder's name again, he suddenly found his jeans and black boxers ripped from his body, leaving him completely naked in front of him. Nero shivered from the cool air in the office, but he soon found himself warming up wonderfully as Dante observed every inch of him, getting harder by the minute.

"You're such a pervert," the teen chuckled.

With a lustful groan, the older male shoved Nero down onto the desk and hovered over him, licking from his navel up to his neck. Nero gasped when he felt a large, hard object press against his opening, using his Devil Bringer to try and push Dante away. The half devil growled lowly, meshing his lips with Nero's and continuing to press against him. The kid struggled again, desperately trying to warn the elder that he wasn't ready. His demonic arm glowed intensely as his blue talons sunk deeply into Dante's chest, the scent and feeling of blood exciting his devil side. He shook his head to clear the haze of lust, pushing harder against the other man until he moved away.

"Wait Dante," Nero panted. "N-Not yet..."

Dante watched him intently, appearing to hesitate for a moment. The instant Nero locked eyes with the Triggered man, he suddenly realised what he was feeling. He wasn't in control and he didn't want to take him like this, but every ounce of his being was overcome with the desire to mate. Smiling softly, Nero reached out and gently caressed the half devil's cheek, his smile broadening at the sound of his soft purring.

"I didn't mean 'no', old man," he told him with a smirk. "I just need... err... you know... a bit of preparation."

Dante lowered his head. "Nero..." his voice was dark from his demonic side.

"Hey," the teen leaned forwards, their lips almost touching. "I do want this; hell I want this more than you could ever know! I don't care how you do it, Dante. It's still _you_, even if only your demon side knows what's going on."

The red devil closed his eyes and leaned in closer, nuzzling the nape of his neck and continuing to purr contentedly as Nero wrapped his arms about him. The younger hunter smiled again, tilting his head so that he could trail kisses along his bottom jaw. Dante moaned softly, but he was still hesitant as his clawed hands gently grasped his hips.

"I know this is touching and everything," Doppelganger interrupted. "But this guy's getting pretty jealous!"

Nero glanced over to Dante's double, who was still using all the force he could muster to keep the Shadow Stalker pinned down. It didn't seem to lose any strength whatsoever, regardless to how much blood it appeared to be losing. He turned back to Dante, noticing that he was still fighting to stay in control of himself. Nero observed him sadly for a moment; _guess he really does like me, he doesn't want it to be rape_. With a seductive smirk curling to his lips, the teen pushed the elder away and slipped off the edge of the desk. A slight pink tinge flushed to his cheeks as he turned around and bent over the desk, glancing back over his shoulder at the other half demon.

"You want it like this, huh Dante?" he asked teasingly, smirking as the smell of arousal grew stronger. "You know I want it too... just go slowly this time, okay?"

He could almost pinpoint the exact moment the elder's control snapped. He moaned loudly as Dante pressed up against him, hot breath against the side of his cheek and clawed hands roaming across his back. The claws of his Bringer carved grooves into the oak surface as the elder nibbled on his earlobe, one hand sliding down between his legs and gripping his arousal. Nero whimpered from the pleasure, his eyelids sliding slowly shut as the warm hand swiftly pumped his erection. He felt a pair of fingers trace the outline of his lips before pressing against the seam, the teen taking them into his mouth and sucking on them. Feeling bold, he bit down on the digits, his flesh heating up at the husky growl reverberating behind him. Nero shivered at the erotic sound, his tongue winding around the fingers in his mouth and coating them with his saliva.

The teen groaned when the claws were removed, sensual shudders running along his spine as those wet fingers trailed down his back to the curve of his ass. The hand wrapped around his throbbing shaft picked up its pace slightly as the digits were pressed against his opening and slowly inserted. Nero hissed in response to the sudden intrusion, trying his best to relax himself as he felt sharp nails rake his insides. He growled as Dante's fingers were withdrawn before being rammed in hard, his devil side enjoying the slight pangs of pain. However, the discomfort of the thrusting motion was soon forgotten as the elder hit something deep inside him, causing Nero to cry out at the sudden sparks of pleasure.

As if that were a sign for him to take things up a level, Dante removed his fingers and positioned himself at Nero's tight entrance. The teen sucked in breath sharply as he felt the red devil's thick organ press into him and push past the tight ring of muscle. He grunted from the pain, his glowing blue talons almost ripping a chunk out of the desk. He moaned slightly as Dante began licking the back of his neck, dragging his fangs lightly across pale flesh to tease his inner demon. Nero tried to buck into the hand softly stroking his arousal in an attempt to ease his discomfort, but Dante had him pinned down securely. The teen closed his eyes tightly as the elder promptly withdrew and slammed back in, moaning loudly as he did so and dragging his claws down Nero's back. The wounds healed quickly, but tears still pricked the edges of the younger hunter's eyes as the Triggered man started a bruising pace.

"Shit Dante!" he yelled. "Slow down... fuck!"

But he knew Dante couldn't hear him, he was far too lost in his feelings of ecstasy to pay attention to anything else. However, before Nero could try and voice more protest, he felt the elder strike his prostate sharply, sending surges of pleasure streaming through him. He screamed loudly, arching his back as that same spot was nailed repeatedly by Dante's spine breaking thrusts. He bucked his hips back to meet him, his human had reaching behind to grip the back of the devil's head. However, Nero abruptly found himself slammed back against the desk, a clawed hand fisting his hair and pressing the side of his face into the desk. Dante growled possessively and gripped the teen's hip with his other hand, drawing blood with his talons as he pounded harder into the smaller frame beneath him.

Nero moaned loudly as all of his senses seemed to be assaulted at once; pleasure and pain all rolling into one. His azure orbs were tinted with red as his devil side fought for release, in complete adoration at the way the elder was dominating him so wonderfully. Other than Dante, there was no man in the entire world who was worthy enough to be his mate, no matter how many other devils tried to challenge it. Nero couldn't think of anything else as he felt his completion approaching, the hard thrusts of the other man never losing their rhythm. He bit down on the claws of his Devil Bringer, trying desperately to hold back on his Trigger in case it drove Dante even more crazy with lust.

"Let it go, kid!" he heard Doppelganger shout, along with the sound of struggling as the Shadow Stalker tried and failed to fight back. "You'll heal faster if you Trigger and besides, I think _he_ will prefer it that way."

Nero was just about able to understand him amidst the haze of his passion and he knew he was right. He felt Dante lean over him and increase his pace again, if that were possible, licking his way from his shoulder to his neck. The teen closed his eyes and stopped fighting his Trigger, releasing his devil side in a flash of blue. The elder hunter growled possessively, the hand still gripping his hip moving to stoke his straining arousal in time with his impossibly hard thrusts. Nero screamed Dante's name as he felt fangs sink into his neck, drawing rivers of blood that streamed down his neck and dripped onto the desk. The coil of heat in his lower abdomen wound tighter, the feeling of Dante sliding in and out much more acute in his devil form.

"Fuck! I... I c-can't..." Nero panted. "D-Dan-te... ah!"

He couldn't contain himself anymore and with a roar of the elder's name, the kid reached his climax, staining the oak surface with his essence. However, even after his orgasm, he still didn't soften one bit as Dante continued to slam into him, his completion seemingly nowhere in sight. Nero moaned as the bite mark on his neck was licked clean of blood, his eyes closing as sharp fangs pierced him once again. The younger hunter purred contentedly along with the elder, his demonic nature stirring at the bite and enjoying the rough treatment he was receiving. He moaned as he felt the clawed hand tangled in his hair stroke his head gently, almost as if to try and calm him while he endlessly assaulted his prostate.

Nero tried to throw his head back and arch into the older male's body, but he was pinned to the desk too well. Dante had every intention of making sure he knew who was in charge. He screamed with pure, unadulterated ecstasy as he was taken to new heights, his lungs burning from lack of oxygen almost as though he were drowning in waves of passion. He felt Dante's thrusting become erratic, almost feeling relieved as he doubted he could take much more of his animalistic pace. Groaning lustfully, Dante let go of Nero's hair in favour of grasping his right leg and lifting it up so he could raise it on top of the desk.

"What?" the teen panted. "Dante, you... ahh!"

He yelled with pleasure as this change in position allowed the elder to slide deeper inside than before. The desk creaked violently from their furious pace, Nero wondering why it hadn't collapsed beneath them, but he barely had time to consider it as he felt his second climax approaching. Every nerve was on fire as he was engulfed by sensations more intense than anything he'd felt so far, part of him wishing it would never end. His eyes suddenly shot wide open as Dante ravaged his neck once again, replenishing the mark he was religiously trying to make. His voice left him as he attempted to scream the elder hunter's name, every muscle in his body weakening as he spilled his second release over the desk.

He collapsed onto the hard wood as he lost his Devil Trigger, moaning softly as Dante still worked towards his own release. It only took a few hard thrusts until his hips snapped flush against Nero's ass and threw his head back to roar his mate's name. Nero sighed from exhaustion as he felt a burning liquid enter him and the rate of Dante's thrusts subside. His eyes were heavy and, regardless to how tired he felt, he whimpered at the loss of heat when the other man pulled out of him. He allowed himself a satisfied smile as he felt strong arms wrap around him, pulling him away from the desk and a gentle hand run clawed fingers through his tousled mane. The teen leaned back against Dante's still Triggered form, his breath catching in his throat as he heard a single word whispered into his ear.

"Mine."

Nero choked back a sob, a single tear running down his cheek that he could blame on post sex exhaustion later. A comforting growl rumbled in Dante's throat as he gently nuzzled the healing bite on the younger hunter's neck, lightly grazing his fangs over the same area. Suddenly remembering what brought all this on in the first place, Nero took a quick glance in Doppelganger's direction and sighed happily when he saw that the shadows were already gone. All that remained was a thick stain of black blood on the hardwood floor. He closed his eyes and relaxed against Dante, managing to at least say something before he drifted off into a heavy sleep.

"I'm sorry I yelled at you," he breathed. "Dante..."

The last thing he could recall was the feeling of being picked up and held close to a warm chest as he was carried up the stairs.

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_Best way to beat a demon; make it watch you have hot man sex... *coughs* - only one chapter left now, stay tuned!_


	13. No Rival to Love

_Last chapter up and finished, it's a bit longer and is dedicated to all of you fantastic people who favourite/review! You all make writing such a joy!  
_

_**Kendecia:** Thanks for reviewing, glad you liked the remedy to that problem!_

_**VioletIsInPain:** Thank you for reviewing! Yeah, the Shadow Stalker was pretty jealous but it never really had a chance! Doppelganger certainly knows what's going to happen XD_

_**KawaiiYue:** Thanks for the review and I'm glad you enjoyed the smut! XD_

_**Bitbyboth:** Thanks for reviewing! It's a pity Dante couldn't have defeated the Saviour in the same way XD – the shadow demon never had a real chance with Nero, even if it did save him! You'll find out why Nero sobbed, it will play a small part!_

_**Britt601:** Thanks for reviewing! It wasn't bad enough that the demon lost to Dante, he had to watch as well! XD – Your comment about Dark Dante has inspired me for a oneshot I'll write at some point... interesting threesome, thank you! I'll remember to dedicate it too you ^_^_

_**SirenaLoreley:** Thanks you for the review! The smut was a fun way to defeat the demon, poor thing though. I love Doppelganger too, I'll be writing something next involving him! XD_

_**TheRealAkuRoku:** Thanks for reviewing! The boss fight comment made me imagine that scene, but with PS controller button presses appearing for killer combination moves! XD – glad the smut made you feel better! *hugs back* and thanks for the brownies!_

_**xDragon-Queenx:** Thanks for the review! Hope you didn't get caught at work reading smut XD – glad you enjoyed it and yes, there will be more hot man sex!_

_**Honeyberries:** Thanks for reviewing! *gives blood transfusion* hope you feel better now! XP_

_**Tigerfussel:** Thank you for the review! Yeah, I did warn about the smut... guess it turned out hotter than I thought! Seeing your pic on DA, I just had to have the bridal style bit XD_

_Warnings here for a bit of angst, fluff and hot man sex. Enjoy!_

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**Chapter 13 – No Rival to Love**

Nero felt warm as he slowly awoke from his deep, restful sleep. He sighed contentedly and shifted slightly, uttering a low moan as he felt satin sheets rub against his skin and hot flesh behind him. A wide smile worked its way to his lips as he lazily opened his eyes and turned over onto his back. His smile deepened as he observed the face of the man sleeping next to him, a faint smirk seemingly ever present on his handsome visage. Carefully, he reached out and stroked his stubbly face, letting out a soft snicker as the course growth tickled his finger tips. Dante grunted lowly in his sleep and shifted closer to him, the strong arm about his waist loosening its grip.

The teen frowned a little, his thoughts travelling to how he got here in the first place. He had fallen asleep while the older hunter, still Triggered, had carried him upstairs to his room. Sighing deeply, he removed his hand from Dante's cheek and carefully eased himself out of his grip and from under the cool red covers. Nero glanced around the room, searching the floor for his clothes, but it seemed the elder had neglected to take them upstairs for him. Blushing a little at the embarrassment of having to head downstairs naked, the kid left the room as quietly as he could so as not to disturb his sleeping beauty. _I told you that he wanted you; you could have jumped him the instant he took you home_. Nero growled under his breath, mentally shaking his demon side away as he padded downstairs barefoot.

His eyes widened at the sight of the office, the damage a clear reminder of the events that happened the previous night. The windows were smashed a shards of glass littered the hardwood floor around the doorway. Both red couches were overturned, the chair behind the old oak desk was completely wrecked and the bar had a gaping hole in it, splinters of wood and broken liquor bottles covering the surrounding area. Amongst the ruin were several blood stains, most of them black from the Shadow Stalker, but intermingled with the occasional red splattering of Dante's. Nero blushed a deep crimson as he observed the desk, seeing the stains left behind from his passionate encounter with the Triggered man.

"I should clean this," he muttered to himself. "Dante will have a fit what he comes downstairs."

After finding his scattered clothes and getting dressed, along with discovering several rips in his undershirt and jeans, Nero headed into the kitchen. Surprisingly, though after a few moments of searching in cupboards, he was able to find ample cleaning equipment. _Guess the old man actually keeps this stuff around in case he needs it_, the teen thought as he got to work. He only hoped that Lady or Trish wouldn't show up, as he didn't fancy trying to explain the state of the office to them. Besides, due to having to sit out the fight with the shadow demon, he felt it was the least he could do to show Dante his gratitude for helping him.

* * *

_He's just perfect, you know. It's no surprise that he was being chased; he is the best mate anyone could ever want. Now, he's_... mine. Dante's ice blue eyes snapped open as his inner demon's thoughts dispersed into silence, a cool sweat trickling from his forehead. He sat up quickly, the red satin sheets slipping down his chest and collecting around his hips. Looking around, he realised that he was alone but Nero's scent was still strong. He gazed down at the spot on the bed next to him, reaching out and resting his hand against the patch that was still slightly warm. His face went pale when a few memories of the previous night came back to him, though most of it was hazy.

"Fuck," he cursed, covering his face in his hands. "I should have killed it... why the fuck didn't I kill it? Why did I have to... do _that_ to the kid instead?"

He wanted to kick himself. Scratch that, he wanted to shoot himself for losing his control around the younger man. Despite his plan to have Doppelganger hold the thing down while he killed it, his devil side had been uncontrollable. Defeating the Shadow Stalker hadn't been enough; he had to take his prize to show his rival that he was the alpha. Nero probably didn't even know what was going on. But regardless to how he felt, he still had to find the kid, even though apologising for his actions would never do any good. He'd sunk low enough to rape him whilst Triggered, so he didn't deserve to be forgiven.

Cursing himself again, Dante untangled himself from the covers, grabbed a pair of silk boxers and ripped black jeans from his dresser and headed downstairs. However, the sight he was greeted with was certainly something he hadn't expected. He distinctly remembered the place being smashed up and from the way he had fought with the Shadow Stalker, he expected there to be blood everywhere. However, the sofas were all in place and there was not a drop of blood to be seen. The only thing he noticed was the missing chair behind his desk, the broken windows and the shattered face of the bar. Scratching the back of his neck in confusion, he walked down the stairs and wandered over to his old desk, spying several deep grooves in the wooden surface. He felt a stab of guilt pierce his heart at that moment, his fingers absently tracing the claw marks. How much pain had he caused the kid? _Great, I raped him and I don't remember doing it... I'm such a fucking..._

"Oh, Dante?" the younger man's voice interrupted his thoughts. "Did I wake you?"

Dante shook his head and looked over to the kitchen door, seeing Nero standing there with a dustpan and brush in hand. He watched silently as the teen crossed the room over to the broken windows, where he bent down and swept up the remaining shards. The elder felt worse than ever when he noticed the kid was limping slightly.

"Shit Nero," he murmured. "How can you..."

"Well it's not going to clean itself," Nero replied. "Besides, I was no help yesterday when it came to defeating the shadow demon so the least I can do is clean up. That and you were sound asleep, so I thought I could get this place tidied up a bit before anyone came in. The place was a mess, but it's looking better now."

Dante blinked, completely perplexed as to why the kid was still here, never mind talking to him like nothing happened. "Listen Nero, about last night, I..."

"Don't worry, it won't be bothering me anymore old man," the younger hunter replied as he got to his feet to dispose of the broken glass. "Your Doppelganger had no trouble keeping it down in the end, so it wasn't able to heal or fight back. Once you beat it to me, it lost because it couldn't fight you for me anymore. Guess that means the same for any other demon that tries it on with me, right?"

Dante was beginning to feel a little sick. "Yeah."

Nero raised an eyebrow at him. "What's gotten into you? I'd have thought you'd be spouting some cocky stuff about how it never had a chance against you in the first place! Don't you get a decent night's sleep whilst Triggered or something?"

"How can you just stand there and say it like that, Nero?"

The teen blinked. "What... what do you...?"

"You're acting like it was just an everyday battle with some random demon!"

"Well, in a way it was, right? We still had to defeat it, just not in..."

"Damn it, it's not the same! Why are you still even here? After... after what I... what I..."

"Dante..."

"How can you stand the sight of me, kid?"

Nero was shocked as he watched Dante fumble over his words. The guy looked in a worse state than he had been last night when he'd been drinking behind the bar. His hair was a mess, his eyes were tired and he hadn't even bothered to put a shirt on. A light pink flush worked its way to his cheeks once he'd noticed that, his eyes travelling to where his black jeans clung low to his hips. He shook his head, momentarily cursing himself from being distracted during a serious conversation, whether Dante's sexiness was a decent excuse or not.

"Listen old man," Nero told him. "I don't know what you mean."

Dante paused for a moment. "You mean you don't remember?"

"Of course I remember! I think it's you that can't remember."

"I raped you, Nero! You don't remember that?"

The teen stared at him wide eyed, sudden realisation hitting him in the gut. Dante probably didn't remember everything that happened when he was Triggered, seeing as it was only his devil side that had appeared to be conscious. He opened his mouth to respond to him, but the elder beat him to it.

"I... I want to say I'm sorry," he muttered, his voice laced with regret. "I want to apologise for... for what I did to you, but I know nothing I say will ever be enough. It's not an excuse to say it's because I'm part demon and I was competing with the Shadow Stalker for a mate... for _you_. I... I didn't want it to happen like that, honestly I didn't, but..."

"Dante, it wasn't like that at all!"

"But I forced you! I remember you struggling, but I wouldn't let go and..."

"Damn it old man, will you shut the fuck up and listen to me!"

Dante was taken aback when Nero yelled at him, knowing that anyone walking past outside would have heard him. The kid sighed and strode over to him, leaning back against the desk and staring down at his feet.

"You didn't force me," he said, his voice softer this time. "Don't you dare think that."

"Nero," Dante murmured.

"If what happened last night was rape, do you think you'd have woken up this morning?" the elder didn't reply, so he continued. "I would have killed you in the most painful way I could have imagined, Dante. You're still in the land of the living, isn't that proof enough?"

"Then what happened? Why do I remember you struggling?"

"I struggled at first because I wasn't aware of what was going on, seeing as Doppelganger neglected to tell me specifically what it was you were going to do. Once I understood what you were doing, I only struggled because your demon side was being too persistent! You may be used to guys that don't need any preparation, but I certainly do; I hadn't had sex before!"

Dante grimaced slightly. "I... did I back down?"

Nero bit his lip, trying his best not to laugh. "Once I let you know why I had objected, I was the one who ended up having to convince you to go further! The Shadow Stalker was there trying to get free to beat you to me and you were hesitating because you didn't want to hurt me," he chuckled, shaking his head. "You were still being a damn pervert too; fortunately I could play to that trait of yours and eventually you got down to business."

The elder glanced down at the surface of his desk, his fingers once again tracing the claw marks etched into the wood. "I really don't remember any of that, kid. All I remember is forcing you over the desk and you crying."

Nero frowned slightly. "I cried?"

"I held you, but you were trying not to cry, I remember it."

"Oh that," the teen blushed a little and rubbed the side of his nose. "I just... well, I just felt bad because I yelled at you and hurt you in the process, yet you still... you know... wanted me. I couldn't help it. Plus you completely exhausted me!"

"But..."

"Will you stop hating yourself, old man? I've spent so many years of my life doing that same thing for no good reason, so I won't stand here and watch you do the same! You didn't hurt me, Dante. I wish you'd pay attention to me every once in a while."

Dante sighed, deeply. "Nero, I..."

But the kid was having none of it. He silenced the elder hunter by throwing his arms around his neck and crushing their bodies together in a tight embrace. Nero smiled happily, the fingers of his Devil Bringer winding into Dante's hair as the other buried his face into the small of his neck.

"You're such an idiot, you know?" Nero murmured, closing his eyes.

"But I took something from you I had no right to take," he replied.

"Well, technically you did. Your devil side saw me as a potential mate, so naturally it wanted to compete with the other demon when it stepped in and wanted to take me too. You defeated it, so it was actually your right to take me as your mate."

"Fuck devil sides, kid! We're both part human too and that has to..."

"If I didn't want it, I would have let you know, believe me. Human or demon, whatever! It doesn't matter! I know you don't remember me saying this to you, but I told you I didn't care how you did it; it was you either way."

There was a brief pause. "I guess this means you're not mad at me?" asked Dante, a bit of his usual playfulness working back into his voice.

"We went through that already; I would have kicked your ass."

He felt the elder smirk. "Then was it fun for ya?"

The teen glared. "Oh, you're quick to recover aren't you?"

He shoved the elder away with his Bringer, but his demonic arm was quickly snatched in a strong grip. Dante's smirk broadened as he pulled Nero's body closer, his free hand travelling down so he could latch his fingers into the teen's belt. Nero continued to glare at him, but he was unable to fight the blush that spread to his cheeks as he felt the warmth of the other man's body. The elder hunter looked down at him, releasing his glowing Devil Bringer in return in favour for gently caressing his cheek.

"Still feisty, hmm?" he purred, chuckling as the kid's blush darkened. "Even after my demon side got the opportunity to ravish you last night."

Nero responded with a smirk of his own. "Yeah, why wouldn't I be? What, were you under the impression that I'd be a submissive mate all the time?"

Dante growled possessively. "I can always make you."

"Oh, really?" his glowing blue talons moved back into the elder's silvery hair, pulling his head down so their lips were almost touching. "I'd like to see you try."

"You should stop promising such things, I may take you up on them."

Dante lowered his head to close the gap between them, but they were interrupted as the large double doors to the office were thrown open. Both devil hunters turned to glare in the direction of the doorway, staring daggers at the two women that dared to interrupt them.

Lady raised an eyebrow, titling down her shades to observe them. "Are you asking to be shot? You should know by now Dante that I couldn't care less if I interrupt you with a guy, even if that guy does happen to be a proper boyfriend."

"What are you doing here?" the half demon growled, still holding Nero protectively.

"We're being so kind as to check on you. I don't know whether you've forgotten already, but Nero was being stalked by a shadow demon that had every intention of taking him as a mate. We wanted to make sure he was okay."

"I said I'd take care of the problem."

"Oh?" she smirked. "So you killed it then?"

Trish laughed and placed a hand on her shoulder. "We all know how he 'defeated' it Lady, there's no need to embarrass him even if he does deserve it."

The brunette shook her head. "I still can't believe it actually took him more than a day!"

"So if you knew I'd solved the problem, then what the hell are you doing hanging around my office?" Dante asked, still glaring harshly at them. "Can't I hope for just a little bit of piece from the pair of you?"

"Do we really need to answer that? Especially given how much you owe me."

Dante made to respond, but he was interrupted by the shrill ringing of the old phone. The four hunters turned to stare at it, neither of them particularly in the frame of mind to take on a mission. Eventually, after giving up hope that whoever on the other end would give up, Dante reached behind him, slamming his hand down on the desk and snatching up the receiver as it was flung into the air.

"Devil May Cry," he said.

They all watched him intently as an unreadable expression came to his face. Nero narrowed his eyes, tilting his head slightly as he tried to pick up the voice on the other end, but he couldn't make it out.

"How did you get this number?" Dante growled, his nails scraping against the desk as he paused to listen to what the other person was saying. "I don't care how long it took you, you have no right to phone here!"

"Who is it Dante?" mouthed Trish, but he shook his head.

"You're not talking to him," he continued. "Not after what you've done!"

Nero blinked, assuming the 'he' was referring to him.

"Cry all you want girl," the elder snarled. "I already warned you about this!"

The teen's eyes widened, realising that it had to be Kyrie on the other end. "Dante, let me talk to her," he told him. If it was her, then it was probably related to Fortuna.

Dante placed his hand over the microphone. "I said I won't let her, Nero."

"Please. I know you want to look out for me, but this is my business."

The elder stared at him for a moment before sighing and giving the kid the receiver. Nero watched as he moved round to the other side of the desk, having to perch on the edge seeing as his chair had been destroyed.

"Nero?" asked the timid female voice. "Is that you Nero?"

She sounded close to tears. "Yeah Kyrie, it's me," he replied.

"Oh thank goodness, I didn't think that man would ever let me speak to you."

Nero clenched his Bringer's claws into a fist. "I guess the Order found this number?"

"Yes. We've been trying to find out how to reach you for days."

"Why? When I left Fortuna I remember how happy everyone was to see the back of me, especially the Order. In fact, the last time we spoke, you didn't want to see me again because I ruined your life. Isn't that right?"

There was a sob on the end of the line. "I'm sorry Nero, really I am. I should never..."

"Then why did you say it in the first place?"

"Oh Nero, I never should have believed the Order! I was the only one to ever really care for you and I abandoned you, just like everyone else did. Now everything's worse. We expected the demons to go away when you left but they still kept coming. It's uncontrollable, Nero! People are dying on the streets and in their homes, there's hardly anything left! The ferries have stopped coming, we're all alone and eventually all of Fortuna will be nothing! It'll be swallowed be evil... Nero, we need you! I need you!"

Nero blinked, his brain not wanting to comprehend what Kyrie was telling him. He glanced over at Dante, who still sat with his back to him.

"Nero?" Kyrie whimpered.

"You need me now because the demons are overrunning Fortuna?" he asked her, flatly.

"Yes. Everyone sees now that the only reason we were safe was because you protected us!"

"Yeah, you're right, I did protect you. I protected all of you."

"We're only asking you to do this again for us, Nero. _I'm_ asking you."

Nero grated his teeth together. "Then you should have thought of that before you exiled me; before you blamed everything on me. Do you honestly think I would want to come back? You were the one who betrayed my trust in the first place, Kyrie."

"Please Nero, you must..."

"Fortuna is not my business anymore. I left it behind; I left everything behind."

"I thought... I though you always loved me like a... like a sister..."

"I did, until that sister accused me of killing her brother. Forget it, Kyrie. I'm not helping you. The Order can deal with things on their own and if they fail, then that's not my problem. As far as I'm concerned, you can all burn in hell."

His devil hand shook as he rested it on the surface of the old oak desk, but he smiled as he felt another hand join his. Dante's gloved fingers laced through his comfortingly, giving his hand a light squeeze. Nero closed his eyes.

"You said you cared about me, didn't you Kyrie?" he continued.

"Of course I did," the girl sobbed.

"I once thought that too, but now I know better. No one ever truly cared about me. But then one day, I met someone. They came into my life in the most unexpected way I could have imagined and they turned my existence upside down. This arrogant bastard helped me see who I really was and on that day, I knew there really was someone who cared about me. I belong here now, with people I can call friends... and a man I know I love with every ounce of my being. I now know love and friendship, Kyrie. It's not Fortuna and it's not you.

"Nero..."

Opening his eyes again, the teen set the receiver back on its cradle, watching it as though he expected it to ring again. But the office remained silent, the only sounds being the noise of the traffic making its way in through the broken windows.

"It's you Dante," Nero breathed. "It was only ever you. I... I love you..."

Without a word, Dante hopped off the edge of his desk and sauntered round to join Nero, hugging him to him in a tight embrace. He buried his face into the younger hunter's white mop, one hand tangling into the strands and pulling him closer. His other hand rubbed comforting circles into his lower back as he felt something wet drip onto his exposed chest.

"I love you too, kid," he murmured. "More than you ever realised."

The teen chuckled. "Took us long enough, didn't it?"

Dante squeezed him tighter. "Far too long."

"Phew, finally!" Lady proclaimed. "I was beginning to think you too would never sort things out! I don't know who's worse; you with your stupid games or Nero being stubbornly clueless!"

"Then I think this is time we take our leave," Trish added, smiling at the two hunters.

The elder smirked. "I take it you have no intention on coming back to stay here then?"

The blonde snorted. "It was bad enough when you bought home guys from Love Planet every other night, I'd hate to think what it's going to be like now you have Nero around twenty-four seven! Besides, I have everything I need at Lady's."

She winked at the brunette, who smirked and re-seated her shades. "I guess we could leave the happy couple alone for a while... but I'll start adding time wasting tax onto what you owe me, Dante. Expect a visit tomorrow, you've been warned."

"Whatever babe," Dante growled. "Now get the fuck out of my office!"

Lady laughed, ignoring him as she left the office. Trish sighed and followed her partner outside, beginning to feel much like a mother having to deal with a pair of rivalling siblings. Dante smirked as he heard the sound of Lady's motorbike firing up and he turned back to his young fireball, running fingers through his soft hair.

"Now that's better, don't ya think?" he asked with a wink.

"Since it's gonna cost a fair bit to replace the damaged items, you're wallet is in big trouble, old man," Nero replied, pointedly.

"Always has been since I met Lady, kid. But being broke is worth it if I still have you."

The teen blushed. "So you do have a soft side, huh?"

"Hmm..." the elder nuzzled the teen affectionately. "I happen to have a _hard_ side, too."

"Shut up, sick old pervert!"

Nero attempted to shove the elder away with his Devil Bringer, but only succeeded in getting himself pinned to the desk. He moaned longingly as Dante leaned over him and kissed him soundly, his hands teasing as they slipped underneath the fabric of his undershirt. The teen parted his lips to give the other man entrance, his eyes sliding slowly shut as he felt his tongue probe his moist cavern. Feeling adventurous, Nero nipped at the tip of the hot wet muscle, shivering sensually at the low growl rumbling from the elder's throat.

"You really are feisty, aren't ya?" Dante murmured as he pulled away for air.

"I told you already, didn't I?" questioned Nero. "I'm not going to play the submissive mate every time."

A warm smile then worked its way to Dante's lips. "Then you accept it?" he asked, lightly brushing the mark on the kid's neck with his thumb pad. "Do you accept me?"

"Like I had a choice?" the teen joked. "Of course I accept it; and of course I accept you!"

Dante leaned down to kiss him again. "I love you, Nero," his voice was barely a whisper.

Nero returned his smile and reached up with his human hand to run his fingers through the white strands of the older hunter's hair. "That's why I accept you Dante, because I love you too. No matter how many rivals you could have had when it came to being my mate, there's no way they could ever rival you in love. You're the only man for me."

"Then I guess there's no problem."

"Hmm, I can see one at the moment perhaps."

"Oh?"

He smirked devilishly. "I'm yours right? You took me as your mate last night."

Dante blinked. "Yeah..."

"Then fair is fair, hmm? I need to make you _mine_."

Growling in his throat, Nero stretched up and nuzzled the juncture of Dante's neck, slowly licking across the racing pulse. He heard Dante chuckled and he was immediately thrown over his strong shoulder, a gasp escaping him at the unexpected act. He fought against him, but his devil half was already purring in delight and aching to be dominated again by the worthy man. His Bringer glowed intensely as he was tossed on the bed and he felt his body temperature rise as his eyes met the ice blue of his lover.

"Know this one thing, kid," Dante told him as he climbed over him. "I'm already yours."

Nero gasped as he nipped at the bruise on his neck. "D-Dante..."

"You captured my heart the moment I met you and believe me, that ain't happened in a very long time. Demons aside Nero, I don't want anyone but you and that in itself means I can't belong to anyone else."

The teen snickered. "You really can be sentimental, can't you?"

"You love it."

Nero didn't argue with that statement, his eyes closing again as Dante claimed his already kiss bruised lips in another passionate embrace. He moaned into his mouth as he felt a hand rub teasingly at the bulge in his jeans, the other pulling down the zipper on his red hoodie. Smirking a little into the kiss, the younger hunter trapped the elder's bottom lip between his teeth and tugged on it, biting until he drew a few spots of blood. Dante growled deeply, his eyes tinting red and both hands moving to rid his mate of the jacket and undershirt.

"Eager, eh?" Nero teased, running a single blue claw down the centre of the man's chest.

"Why not?" Dante replied. "It's not fair that only you can remember what happened last night. I didn't get to enjoy any of it."

The teen smiled softly. "Just don't Trigger this time, okay old man?"

"You want to claim me, so you need to tell me what you want."

"I don't think that'll be too difficult."

On that note, Nero pressed his weight against Dante's chest and flipped them over so that he was straddling him. He felt his own arousal stir at the sight of the elder beneath him, his blue orbs half lidded with lust. With a teasing smirk, the younger dipped his head low to lick and nip at his chest, enjoying the pleasured sounds made by the older man. He trailed his tongue lower, wriggling it about inside his navel and earning a surprised gasp.

"Nero..." Dante growled.

_Hmm, now I have you right where I want you_... Nero moved lower until his face was level with Dante's crotch, using his teeth to pull down the zip of his black ripped jeans. He popped open the button with the claws of his Bringer and slowly inched the denim down over his hips, abruptly followed by his red silk boxers. He used his demonic hand to leisurely pump the half devil's arousal, his gaze flicking upwards to observe his face. Dante was already staring right at him, his eyes still half hooded with desire and his mouth hanging open as he panted lightly. Nero swallowed the lump in his throat, fighting not to cum just by simply taking in that lusty expression.

Instead, he distracted himself by unfastening his own jeans, stripping them off along with his boxers and tossing them aside. He placed a gentle kiss on the tip of Dante's arousal, flicking his tongue out to taste the salty fluids gathering there. The elder moaned softly, one hand moving to tangle into the teen's silvery locks. Smiling at that, Nero dipped low and took the head of his erection into his mouth, suckling gently until he heard Dante groan loudly. He held his hips down with his Devil Bringer as he thrust upwards, trying desperately to enshroud himself with more heat. Nero hummed around the cock in his mouth before taking in more of the turgid length, enjoying the intense moans of pleasure made by his lover.

Dante saw stars splash across his vision as teen swallowed him whole, a deep moan of his name leaving his lips. He gripped the red satin bed sheets with his free hand, inching up his hips but only to have them pinned down securely by Nero's Bringer. He moaned again as the suction around his throbbing member increased, his hand leaving the teen's hair to open the top drawer in the bedside cabinet. After a few moments of rummaging, he produced a tube of lubricant, popping open the cap on the pink tube and squeezing some of the vicious ooze onto his fingers. Without warning Nero, he sat up and trailed his slick fingers down the teen's spine before finding his ass.

"Huh?" Nero looked up. "Dante?"

"I can't wait Nero," the elder panted.

The teen nodded and sat up, wrapping his arms about his lover's neck and kissing him as he slowly inserted two lube covered fingers inside him. He moaned into the kiss, arching his hips forward and rubbing their hardened lengths together. Both hunters moaned erotically at the contact, Dante carefully starting a thrusting motion with his fingers. Nero broke the kiss to cry out with pleasure as his prostate was hit head on, shoving the elder back onto the bed. He grunted softly as the fingers slipped out of his ass and he straddled the old male's hips, his hand reaching down to stroke Dante's erection.

"Oh?" Dante purred. "Taking the lead, hmm?"

"You bet I am Dante," Nero panted.

"Such a turn on."

The younger hunter leaned down to kiss him briefly. "I'll give you the ride of your life."

Dante shivered at the lust in the kid's tone and he leaned up slightly to kiss him deeply, their tongues dancing in and out of their mouths. The elder suddenly broke their wet kiss, throwing his head back against the pillow and moaning with desire as Nero impaled himself on his thick shaft with one thrust. He bucked up into the tight heat, fisting the sheets as the younger male slowly rocked his hips up and down. He opened his eyes to lock his gaze with Nero's, his hands travelling up his legs to grip his thighs while he slowly thrust his hips upwards.

Nero moaned softly, shifting himself to get more comfortable as the elder gradually started to thrust to his rhythm. He reached back and gripped Dante's muscular thigh with his human hand, balancing himself as he picked up his pace. A few stabs of pain seared through him occasionally, the glowing blue talons of his Devil Bringer scratching shallow gashes into Dante's abdomen. The elder growled appreciatively at the pain, his eyes flashing red again as his demonic nature stirred.

"What d-did I-ah... say a-about... Triggering..." Nero moaned, his rhythm not faltering.

"I won't," Dante growled. "Don't worry, babe."

The kid tossed his head back and screamed loudly as his bundle of nerves was finally struck head on, his claws sinking deeply into the elder's lightly tanned flesh. Nero lifted himself off Dante's thick arousal and slammed back down hard, ripping a long moan of ecstasy from the man beneath him. The elder's hands worked their way up to the younger's hips, his nails digging into the soft flesh as he helped him keep up the harder pace.

"D-Dante!" Nero cried out, his back arching in pure bliss. "Fuck, I-ah!"

"Oh shit babe," Dante purred. "So... fucking... _tight_..."

Nero screamed again when Dante sat up and wound his arms about him, flipping their positions so he could press the smaller body into the mattress. The teen's eyes were rimmed with copper as he held the elder's gaze, pants and moans leaving both men as the air heated up. Purring with delight, Dante slipped his hands underneath Nero to tightly grasp the cheeks of his buttocks, picking up his pace and pounding into him. The teen held on for dear life, moaning Dante's name like a mantra and succumbing to the dominating male. His Bringer raked crimson tracks into his lover's strong shoulders, the metallic aroma arousing their demonic senses.

"Ah-D-Dan-te..." the teen moaned. "I... I'm cumming D-ahh!"

"Cum for me Nero," Dante growled into his ear.

As he felt his completion nearing, Nero leaned up and bit down into the side of Dante's neck, his teeth breaking the skin and spilling blood into his mouth. Groaning longingly, Dante slammed into the kid with all his strength in response to the bite, his own release just as close. Arching beautifully beneath his lover, Nero yelled out Dante's name as he came between them, covering their chests in his pearly essence. The elder hunter moaned deeply, his eyes closing tightly as he felt the younger's muscles squeezing him tightly and trying to milk him dry. He held off for as long as he could until he eventually rammed full force into him, growling his mate's name as he overflowed his insides. His thrusting continued steadily as he rode out his orgasm until he ran out of steam, collapsing on top of the younger hunter and slipping out of his tight heat.

"Oh Dante," Nero whimpered. "I... fuck..."

Dante chuckled tiredly. "You're better than amazing, kid."

"Not a kid... old man..."

"Hmm... I love you Nero."

The teen smiled as he was gathered into Dante's strong arms and held against his warm, muscular chest. He nuzzled the mark on his neck as it began to fade and kissed it tenderly, sighing contentedly as he was cuddled closer.

"Love you too Dante," he murmured.

There was a pause for a moment. "You won't walk out on me, will you?"

Nero snickered and squeezed Dante around the waist. "Don't be silly, of course I won't. I'd be a moron if I walked out on you, the guy who finally showed me I had someone who cared. Besides..." he trailed off and caressed the mark he'd made on his neck. "You're mine."

The elder smiled happily. "Good, because I'll kick your ass if you do."

"Just keep your eyes off other men, okay."

"No need to worry babe, I only have eyes for you," he gently cupped the kid's face and tilted it upwards so he could stare into his eyes. "You're everything to me, you know that?"

Nero grinned broadly. "You must have read my mind."

Dante embraced him tightly, almost squeezing the breath out of his younger lover, but he loosened his grip before he could protest. He smiled softly and lightly stroked Nero's cheek, watching as his eyelids slid slowly shut and he drifted off into a peaceful sleep. _You're beautiful Nero, more beautiful than anyone I've ever met... and I ain't letting anyone have you,_ he thought to himself. Shifting again, he drew Nero's body closer and curled around him, making sure to hold him all night as he joined him in the depths of sleep. _My Nero_.

* * *

_End! - fluffy chapter is fluffy! Now I need to find some time to get writing again, I have ideas, but I'm back off to uni again soon and I'm a bit behind on reading... O_O_


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